Immortal Sesaon 1: Reunion
by TheMainSlayer
Summary: Buffy travels to L.A. to try to put her past behind her. What she finds is she must answer a complicated question . . . does she love Angel or Spike? Meanwhile, there is a new player in town and he is planning on some revenge against Angel.
1. Chapter 1

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**  
Episode 1.1: Reunion  
Written by the Main Slayer  
Original airdate: March 11, 2004  
Episode rating: K+

**Part 1**

It was just another day a Wolfram & Hart. Harmony was at her desk reading an InStyle magazine while occasionally glancing at her boss's door. She wasn't allowed in the monthly meetings. She had to wait outside at her desk until it was over and Angel came storming out and began to bark orders. He did that a lot. The barking orders part. So all she did was wait and wait. Today was a little different though. At 11 am Harmony received an odd, but interesting phone call.

"Good morning, Wolfram & Hart, how can I help you?" she asked. Harmony waited for an answer. Nothing came.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Still nothing. Harmony was about to hang up when a woman's voice came over the phone.

"Hey Harmony." Said the voice. Harmony knew exactly who it was. She wasn't sure what to say, but that didn't stop her from doing her job.

"How can I help you?" she asked again.

"I need to talk to Angel."

"He's in a meeting right now. Do you want me to leave him a message to call you back?" she asked. Harmony waited and picked up a pen and some paper. She told the voice that she would get the message to him right away. And she would. Harmony hung up the phone and looked at the message. _This is going to be interesting._ She thought. She put the piece of paper down and headed out of her cubicle and to the staff room.

All the piece of paper said was:

"Angel,

Buffy is in town."

Angel was bored out of his mind. These meetings always took forever and rarely had anything to do with what he was interested in. The only problem with being the CEO of Wolfram & Hart was that he had to sit in on all this crap. He knew that it was important but he would rather be watching a hockey game. He looked across the table at Spike only to see that he was bored out of his mind too. _This has got to stop._ Angel got up and looked at everyone.

"Is that everything?" he asked. Gunn looked at him surprised. _What's up with him?_

"I guess so. Unless someone else wants to say something." Nobody motioned to make a comment.

"Well I guess that is it then," Angel said, "so we can get back to whatever it was we were doing right?"

"Sure."

"Good." Angel said as he headed towards his desk. He watched as the group left the room. Even Spike left without saying anything. They all knew he was tired. Angel was already to sit in peace when Harmony knocked on the door.

"Come in." Angel said as he rubbed his eyes.

"Hey boss. Good meeting?" Harmony asked as she looked at her boss, "I'm going to take that as a no. Anyway, there is a message for you. Told the person I would give it to you right away."

"Who was it?"

"Just read the message. Anything you want me to get?" Harmony asked as she set the message down.

"No I'm fine thank you." Harmony then left the room and her boss to his thoughts. Angel wasn't sure if he wanted to know who called him. But, curiosity always got the best of him. He picked up the message and stared at it. He wasn't sure what to make of it. All he did was page Harmony.

"Harmony?"

"Yeah boss?"

"When did she call?"

"While you were in your meeting." Harmony replied.

"Time Harmony. The time."

"Oh I don't know. I forgot to write it down. What does it matter anyway?" she asked.

"Never mind. Just get Spike for me."

"Why?"

"Harmony. Just do it." Angel then let go of the page and sat back in his chair. How was he going to explain this one to Spike without losing his temper? _The world is coming to an end._

_What in the bloody hell does he want now?_ Spike thought as he headed towards Angel's office. He and Angel hadn't gotten along since the day he arrived back on the Earth. Spike was sure that Angel was going to kill him every time they saw each other, but instead the big poof surprised him by not doing it. _One of these days he will though. Well he can try anyway._ Spike didn't know what this was about but he wanted to find out. Spike burst through Angel's office doors and sat down in a huge chair in front of Angel's desk.

"Whatever it is, I didn't do it." Was all he said. Angel looked at Spike and then got up. He handed Spike the message. Spike didn't even look at it.

"I don't see what your message has to do with me." He said.

"Just read it. And trust me, it has everything to do with you." Angel said as he walked to the other end of his office. Spike read the letter. From what Angel could see, he thought Spike was going to cry. _God I hate him!_ This was the only thing that came to his mind.

"Well I better go and see her."

"Wait a minute." Angel said. He blocked the exit from his office.

"Get out of my way you stupid git." Spike said.

"Wait. Stop. Think."

"Why?"

"Do you honestly think I am going to let you walk out of my office and go to her? You have another thing coming." Angel said as he crossed his arms.

"Oh. The great big poof. You can't stop me. I am going to her." Spike made a move but Angel refused to let him past.

"I think we should let her come to us."

"Why so she can see you and go all, 'Oh Angel you big handsome dog you.' I don't bloody well think so. Get out of my way."

"No." Spike knew that Angel wasn't going to move. He also knew that if Buffy saw Angel, she might just ignore him altogether. But, he had to admit, that pushing Buffy would be the wrong thing to do. So Spike agreed with Angel. He then went back to his place to figure out what he was going to say to the woman that he loved. Then a single thought crossed his mind, _what if she picks him?_

Buffy was here for one thing. To put the past behind her. She didn't know how she was going to do that, but she had to. It was the only way for her to move on with her life. Her trip to L.A. was to tell Angel that it would never work and that she need to keep him as far away from her as possible. It was the only way. She had such back luck with men, and she didn't want to make it a repeat. Buffy went a picked up her back from the airport luggage and headed towards the taxis. She had gone over in her a thousand times what she was going to say to Angel. But every time she thought of him and saw his face, memories started to surface. _No. Don't think about it. It won't do you any good. This is it. It has to be._ With that, she got in a taxi and headed towards the hotel room she had booked. Andrew had told her that Spike was alive. It didn't seem possible, but she knew that was another lump in her 'put the past behind you' plan. She would have to figure that out when she got there. This was it; the past would finally be over. Or so she thought.

Angel had been stressed all day. He couldn't stop thinking about Buffy. He was mad at her and he couldn't wait to voice his opinion. He was ready to talk to her and tell her how he felt. Tell her how hurt he was. This was it; it was time to put the past behind him. And that meant Buffy. Hey, maybe after this he would be able to fully appreciate Nina.

Spike was walking on air. Buffy was coming and he was ready to tell her that he loved her and that he was ready to go back to Rome with her. That was if she would take him. Ah, what the hell, he would go anyway. Beat being around Angel all the time. This was going to be the best day ever. He was so very sure of it.

Buffy decided to take a shower before going to see Spike. That was her first stop. She had to tell him the truth. She had to get it out. She had got Spike's address from Harmony at Wolfram & Hart. Harmony was less than happy to give it to her, but she did anyway. Buffy then got dressed, grabbed the address and headed out. This was her first step to putting what was past, past.

**Part 2**

Spike heard a soft knock at the door. That was her. He knew it was. He had been waiting for this day for the past few months. He wasn't sure how he was going to tell her all the things he was feeling but he knew that she wouldn't dismiss him. He walked to the door and opened it. She was a vision. Buffy had her hair down and a white camisole on. Her black pants completed the perfect look.

"Hi." Was all he could say.

"Hey. Can I come in?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, come in." Buffy walked into the small apartment and went to the living room. She sat down on the couch and just looked at him. She wasn't sure what to say about all of this. The last time she had seen Spike he was bursting into flames. She looked up at him and he sat down.

"We have to talk." Buffy said.

"We do. But let me go first." Buffy nodded and let him start off the conversation.

"I have missed you so much. You have no idea how many times I wanted to call you and tell you I was alive. I wanted to come out and see you. But I didn't know what to say. When Andrew saw me, I knew he was going to tell you and that it would only be a matter of time before we had to talk about this. The only thing that kept me going was you. In hell. Where ever I was. I thought of you. Your face. Your smile. Your hair. That night we spent together. Before the end. I knew I had to get back to you and now here you are. You know how I feel Buffy. Its all a matter of what you feel. All you have to do is say the word, and I will come back with you. Forever." Spiked looked into her eyes in hopes that he would see some happy spark. But he didn't see it. All he saw was sadness. _This can't be good._

"Spike," Buffy began, "I came to L.A. to put the past behind me. And you are the past. I need to move on. From you, from everything Sunnydale. I didn't come here to ask to you to come with me. I came here to tell you that you can't come with me."

Spike looked shocked. Did their time together mean nothing to her? Did she lie when she said that she loved him? This wasn't happening. This was all Angel's fault. It had to be. Spike moved away from her.

"What are you saying," Spike asked, "Are you saying you don't want me to be with you?"

"I'm sorry Spike. That is what I'm saying. You know that I don't love you. Somewhere in you, you know I don't. At least not the way you want me too. This can't be anything Spike. It was good while it lasted, but nothing lasts forever. I used you and I feel bad about it. You have the potential to do well, but it's just not with me. I can't be with you. You know I can't. I don't love you. I'm sorry." Buffy said as she got up.

"Wait. No, this can't be happening."

"It is. This has to end. Your feelings, your emotions. You have to turn them to something else. Like, saving the world. Its what you are good at. That is your new passion Spike. Not me."

"But it is you. I love you Buffy. I do." Spike moved towards her and took her hands. Buffy moved away.

"I know you do. But I don't. I can't. Look, we can be friends. If that is even possible now. But I can't be with you. Not now, not ever. Its over. I'm sorry." With that Buffy turned to leave. She could hear that Spike wanted to protest. But she didn't stay to hear it. This was the end of the road. This was the end of the journey. Spike was just a shadow in the door way as Buffy left the apartment grounds.

A black limo pulled up in front of Wolfram & Hart. The window rolled down only enough that a set of eyes looked out. The eyes glowed red. _Soon. Soon Angel will we come to terms. You took my life once. Now it is time for me to take yours._ The window then rolled up and the eyes were gone. The limo then pulled away and a low laugh was heard in the wind.

"A body was found late this morning of a pair of joggers on the Mountain Trail. The cause of death is unknown at this time. All the police will say was that the murder was vicious enough to have been a pack of wild dogs. We will keep you updated as the story unfolds." The announcer then went to other related news. Angel wasn't interested in that. This was no dog. This was a demon. Angel had his team do recon on the murders this morning and they found a blue substance on the bodies. It was down in the lab being analyzed right now. Angel knew this was demonic. He had Wesley running through the possible candidates. Lorne was getting in touch with his demon contacts and Gunn was running the legal work. This is exactly what Angel needed to get his mind off Buffy. He didn't want to think about her at all today. She hadn't stopped by yet, and he wasn't sure when she would. But when she did, there would be choice words said.

Angel had to do something. Ever since being the CEO, he didn't have much to do. All he did was sit at his desk and give orders. He was good at that, but he had to get out. He was just itching to get out. He didn't know where he wanted to go but he had to leave. Angel grabbed his coat and was about to leave, when he saw her. It was her. She really was here. They locked eyes and their eyes held until Angel thought he couldn't take it anymore. All the things Angel wanted to say fell out of his mind when he saw her. _Now what am I going to do?_ He thought.

Buffy was just looking at him. He looked so good in his suit. It was time to let go. But she had this feeling. A feeling that even though she had to tell him that it could never be, it never would end. His presence would always be with her. All she had to do was get through the next few minutes, and then leave. _I've gotten this far. Nothing can go wrong now._

The long corridors of the basement of Wolfram & Hart never end. Sunny, a local vampire in town was running along the corridors trying to find the access panel that his boss was talking about. All he had to do was shut the power off. That was it. Nothing funny; no getting himself killed. At least he hoped. His boss was not going to tolerate a mistake. Never. So, Sunny, raced along the halls only to find that he was turned around in the opposite direction. In nature, Sunny was not the smartest vampire in the world, but he didn't want to become ash by his employer. So he turned around and headed down the same way he came. He then turned a corner and found the panel. He had thought that it would be in a room, but it turns out that you can shut the power down by just over loading the circuit. So he opened to box and got ready to hit the "overload" button. He had to wait. He had to do it at exactly 12:00. All he had to do now was wait.

**Part 3**

Buffy walked into Angel's office. The many items in the office, plus the fact that it was huge took her aback. She walked over to his desk and found that there were pictures of him and his friends. Not something she remembered about him. She moved to the chair in front of his desk and sat down. This was it. She took in a breath and waited for Angel to sit down.

Angel went to his desk and was about to sit down when he noticed that Harmony was at the door. Angel walked to the door and shut it. _I don't need a nosy secretary._ He then headed back to his desk. Angel sat down and waited. He wanted her to start this. She was the one who called him.

Buffy looked up and saw that he was waiting for her. _What am I going to say? I had this whole thing planned out. Why can't I think of it now?_ She looked away for only a minute then looked back. It was his eyes. The way they just penetrated her body and made her feel like he could see everything. She had to start this.

"You look good." She said.

"Thanks. So do you," Angel looked away from her for only a second. Her beauty kept bringing her back, "so what are you doing here?"

"Why I'm here? Right. Umm, I am here to talk to you about some stuff. Stuff that has been going around with me for a while now. I need to put it behind me. All of it. So, before I tell you, is there anything you want to say to me?"

There was. Angel had a lot he wanted to say. He just didn't know where to start.

"Okay. Yeah, there are some things I would like to say to you. Like, where do you get off."?

"Excuse me?" Buffy questioned.

"Where do you get off accusing me of being evil? Of telling me I'm not fighting on your side any more? Just because I took over a law firm doesn't not mean I am evil. There were reasons for me taking the offer. Good ones. Just not ones you are going to believe." Angel got up from his desk and moved to the window.

"I am not evil. I am not doing evil things. As a matter of fact I am doing some real good here. Real good. I am fighting evil from the opposite end. And I don't appreciate you telling everyone that they shouldn't trust me because of a choice that I made in order to save a friend. This was my choice. Sure it wasn't the greatest, but I saved the people that I love. More or less. It just makes me so angry that you don't trust me. I have done nothing but help you. Where do you think that amulet came from? The information I gave you to help you save the world? You are just as guilty as I am for using their resources." Angel said as he turned to her.

"What do you want from me?" Buffy asked.

"An apology. That is what I want. I want you to say you are sorry for making me feel like the smallest thing in the world. I helped you save the world. And this is what I get. I don't think so." Angel replied as he glared at her with a rage that she had never seen before. He was really angry with her. She had never seen him this angry. What could she do but answer his request.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"Come again?" Angel asked. He had to hear this again.

"I'm sorry. I am truly sorry for implying that you were evil. It was just not in your character." She said.

"Maybe that is because you don't know my character. We haven't been together for five years. I have changed. I am different. I can make decision on my own. I don't need permission. Especially from you. Well, now that I have said that. Thank you. For apologizing I mean." Angel said as he headed back to his desk and sat down.

"So, I guess it is my turn." Buffy said. But as she was about to begin, all the lights in the building shut off. Buffy whipped around and looked behind her. She then turned back to Angel who was just as confused as she was.

"Harmony?" Angel asked. Just as he said that she burst through the doors.

"Boss! What is going on?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

"Well I don't know!" Harmony replied.

"Find out." Angel said. He then picked up the phone and called Gunn. Gunn didn't know either. He did know that a vampire was on the premises that didn't have an authorized pass. When Angel hung up the phone, he looked at Buffy.

"We are going to have to pick this up later. Do you want to go and hunt a vampire?"

He asked. _Just like old times._

"I have nothing better to do." With that the vampire and the Slayer headed out of the office with weapons in hand.

Sunny had to get out. If Angel found him he was most definitely dust. The only problem was that they had blocked all entrances out of the law firm. Even though Sunny was trapped, he had a plan. The plan was to get Angel. Now, all Sunny had to do was find him.

Angel and Buffy raced down the halls of Wolfram & Hart. This was the perfect distraction. They pounded down the corridors in a synchronized pace. Together, like they were one being. They didn't miss a beat. Angel then slowed. He held Buffy up and pointed to the end of the hall. There was a shadow at the end of the hallway. Angel motioned for Buffy to take up the rear. She moved into the shadows like she belonged to them. Angel was surprised at how well she knew how to do that. Angel slowly moved down the hall. As he came to the shadow it moved. But it didn't do what he thought it would. Instead of finding a vampire, he found Buffy.

"What is going on? I swear there was someone else at the end of this hall."

"I know. It's like the shadow led us here." Buffy said as she turned around.

"No kidding, but why?" Angel asked.

"I think I know why." Buffy replied as she turned Angel's head. There was a group of vampires surrounding them. They were trapped in a corner with a group of 15 vampires. A corner was never good.

"Now what do you we do hotshot?" Buffy asked.

"You're asking me?" Angel replied exasperated. He had no idea what to do. All he could think of was, _this is not good._ Buffy looked at him and raised her eyebrow. He knew what that meant. He knew from the countless times they hunted the cemeteries of Sunnydale. It was time to fight their way through. Angel, without warning, launched himself into the pile of vampires. Following his lead, Buffy did the same.

**Part 4**

The rest of the Wolfram & Hart gang was in the lobby. Lorne was drinking his signature sea breeze. He did that when he was nervous. Actually, he did then whenever. Gunn was on the phone trying to find out what the hell was going on. Wesley was armed with weapons and Harmony was holding a stake ready to strike. The new lab guy was with them trying to figure out how the vampire got in without detection. When Gunn got off the phone, Wesley looked at him.

"What?" Gunn asked.

"Well? What did they say?"

"Oh. Yeah about that. They have no idea. They said that the detection of the vampire happened after the power went out. They are not sure how this one got past."

"You think it's an inside job?" Harmony questioned.

"Possibly," Wesley replied, "we must find this vampire. Where is Angel?"

"Oh, Angel and Buffy are all over it. They left a few minutes ago." Harmony said as she took a flash light out of her desk.

"Which way did they go?" Gunn asked her.

"I don't know. Angel said something about the basement. Why he would go down there is beyond me." She said as she turned it on and shined it in Gunn's face. Gunn flinched and she moved it away.

"He would go down there because that would be the first place that a vampire spy would go." Gunn said as he headed for the emergency stairs.

"Where are you going?" Wesley asked him.

"To find my boss." With that Gunn opened the door. Reluctantly, the gang followed. It was time to kick some vampire ass.

Angel and Buffy were in over their heads. The vampires were too many and they were too few. Buffy had her stake at ready and pounded into an ugly looking vamp on her left. She hit him with a roundhouse kick and sent him flying. The next vamp she hit with a right uppercut hoping it would knock him down. She was wrong. The vampire hit her right back sending her backwards into the vampire she had kicked not moments before. Buffy then kicked her legs up and hit the two vampires in front of her. She managed to get out of the vampires arms and swing around. She nailed him with her powerful right hook and staked him. Just as he burst into dust, another came at her. He kicked her in the chest and swept her off her feet. Buffy landed on her back with a thud and managed to get up before two vamps landed on top of her. She launched her self over a vampire on her left and took out one by simply landing on him, stake first. This was getting out of hand. She didn't even have time to spare a glance at what was happening to Angel. _I hope he is okay._ But that is the only thought she gave to him as a vampire came at her from behind.

Angel wasn't sure how many vampires he had taken out. He had lost count. All they did was keep on coming. Angel threw one vampire across the hall and then had only a split second before another came at him. This is insane. There were just too many of them. Angel managed to find a broken chair leg to stake the vamp coming at him. By this point, Angel was fully vamped. He used his vampire strength to roll to one side and take out a vampire that was trying to escape. He then launched a roundhouse kick into the closest vampire. From what he could tell, there were at least a dozen more. _Where is the gang? I could really use their help right now._ Angel was only distracted for a second, when a large vampire came at him with a stake. In that one second, the vampire managed to drive the wood stake through Angel's chest. Angel cried out in pain.

Gunn could hear Angel a mile away. He sprinted to the location where the cry had come from. When the turned the corner all they saw was a death match between a vampire Slayer and at least a half a dozen vamps. Gunn spared one moment to look for his boss. He couldn't see him. Gunn, without a second thought, launched into the fight. He had to find Angel. He also had to help Buffy.

Sunny had slipped out of the way. No one had noticed him yet. He couldn't risk that. Not yet. When Angel's cavalry showed up he simply turned tail and left. There were more of them now. He couldn't take them on. Plus the vampire crew he had hired to take out Buffy and Angel failed. It was time to leave. But this wouldn't be the end. Not by a long shot.

**Part 5**

As Gunn and the gang finished off the rest of the vampires, Buffy frantically searched for Angel. _He can't be gone. He just can't. Where are you Angel? Where are you? Give me a sign? Come on._ Buffy looked all over. Then she heard him. A groan came from the corner of the hallway. He was alive. Buffy ran to him and fell beside him. All the things she had wanted to say to him where gone. It was over. She knew in that small instant when she had thought he was gone, that she couldn't live without him any more. She raised his head so it lay in her lap. She cradled him like it was something she had done many times before.

"Angel? Angel, are you alright?" She asked as she held him close. Angel tried to get a word out but he couldn't. He looked into her green eyes and saw a look that he hadn't seen in years. A look of pain and worry. She was worried about him. Angel tired to move but could only move a small fraction without crying out in pain. The stake had just missed his heart. It was going to hurt to get it out.

"Don't move. Don't worry. Just stay still. I will take care of you." Buffy said as she continued to hold him.

"Buffy," Angel looked at her, "why? Why are you so worried about me?" Buffy looked at him as her eyes welled with tears.

"I don't know. You know I came here all ready to tell you that I needed to move on. That this was over. That I couldn't have you in my life any more. But now that I'm here and I'm with you…. I can't. I can't say those things."

"Why?" Angel asked.

"Why? Because for the last five years of my life I have been trying to find a way to push you so far away so that I don't have to think about how much you hurt me and how much I care about you," Buffy said as tears fell down her checks, "I have been trying to replace you Angel. You really hurt me. You really did. And all I have ever wanted was for you to come back. I didn't want to believe it. I wanted to believe that I was over you and that I had moved on. But the truth is, I can't move on. I can't because you have my heart. You took it with you when you left Sunnydale. Everything that I was went with you. And all this time I have been searching for it, but I can't seem to find it. I have tried to replace what I lost with other people but it never worked. It can't work."

As Buffy said this, Angel tried to hold back his tears. He had thought she had come here to tell him there was no chance in hell, but what she was doing was spilling her heart out that there was a chance. That she did forgive him. That she did love him. That she need him. The most important part of this revelation was that he needed her too. Tears spilled down Buffy's checks as she spoke. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. And she was telling him what her heart had wanted to say for years.

"I don't want to be without you any more. I can't do it Angel. I can't go on with my life knowing that you aren't in it. That some day you could be gone and I would never have gotten the chance to tell you how I felt. I don't want you to say anything; you don't have to. All I need you to know is that I love you. And if I have to live one more day without you in my life I think I'm going to die." Buffy had told him. Had put her heart out on the line, again, and all she need to hear was what he thought. Angel raised his hand to her face and held it there. This perfect being wanted him. In spit of all of his faults. She wanted him.

"I…I…I need you too." Was all he said. He couldn't say anymore. With this Buffy collapsed on his chest and cried. Angel held her as she held him. There was nothing more to do. All they could do was cry over each other. Cry because of love and from exhaustion.

Gunn, Lorne, Harmony, and Wesley looked at the pair. Gunn looked to Harmony who was crying. Lorne held Harmony's shoulders. Then he turned to Wesley.

"What do we do now?" Gunn asked him. Wesley didn't take his eyes off Angel and Buffy.

"Nothing. Lets just leave them." And they did. The gang just watched as the Slayer held her vampire.


	2. Chapter 2

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**  
Episode 1.2: The Messenger  
Written by The Main Slayer  
Original airdate: April 1, 2004  
Episode rating: K+

**Part 1**

The sun poured into the room. They crawled up the corners of Angel's king sized bed and showered his face in light. It was a good thing that there were those special windows or he would be bursting into flames. Angel cracked an eye open and made a slight noise. This meant that the day was about to begin and he knew how fun those were. Angel leaned over and kissed Buffy on the top of the head. He didn't want to wake her. She was so beautiful, bathed in sunlight. Angel quietly got out of bed and headed for the shower. This was his usual morning ritual of getting ready for the day. Only Buffy normally wasn't part of it. His body still ached from the fight a few days ago. They were going full force on this new player. They had no idea who he was and why they wanted him dead. Wesley would figure it out. He always did.

Angel turned on the water and set it to how he wanted. Steaming. Some how the hot water always made his mornings worth getting up for. He took off his sweats and stepped in. For a minute he let the water pour over him. Bathing him in steam and water. This was the beginning of something. It had to be. Buffy was back in his life and he wasn't going to let her get away. Not ever. Angel smiled and continued his shower. There was no way that anything was going to go wrong. Or so he thought.

(Outside Wolfram & Hart)

This was the place. This was where their worst enemy was now living. For 100 years they had dreaded the day that they had to ask for his help. But that day was here and there was no other alternative. They had sent him as a messenger. To find out if he would help. He would, the reward was worth the risk. He had to be careful. The Hunter was watching him. He walked quickly across the road and opened the doors of the building. It was so big. How could something so evil command so much? He didn't care. He needs the evil's help and the evil needed him. The man walked to the front desk and a young blonde woman looked up.

"Hi there! Welcome to Wolfram & Hart. How can I help you?" She asked. The man didn't know what to say at first. He wanted to leave and never come back. But he had to stay; he had to ask.

"I need to see Angel."

"Sure. He has a space around noon. Do you want to come back then?"

"No. I need to see him now."

The girl looked upset. It seems that he was wreaking her boss's schedule.

"I'm sorry. I really need to see him. It is very important. He will see me. He has to."

"Let me see what I can do." She replied. She picked up the phone and dialed a number. She talked for a few minutes and then hung up.

"Okay. He will see you. Give him about 10 minutes and he will be down. Let me show you to his office." She then left from behind the desk and escorted him to the evil's office. She left him there, alone. Now what? Ask for help, offer the reward and watch him fall into their laps.

(Upstairs)

Buffy moved in the sheets. She took in a breath and opened her eyes. She saw a light in the bathroom and new he was in there. She sat up and took a huge stretch. She couldn't believe she was here, with Angel. This was a dream. She leaned over the site of the bed and picked up Angel's shirt. She put it over the small tank top she was wearing and climbed out of bed. Her shorts seemed just a little too short while wearing the shirt. She didn't care. This was Angel. And he didn't mind. She moved towards the bathroom to find him in a towel getting ready for the day. She walked into the bathroom and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Morning." She said as she kissed his back.

"Morning." Angel replied. He turned around and wrapped his arms around her. He then kissed her forehead. She was beautiful. She smiled at him.

"Early morning?"

"Well it wasn't," he said as he moved back to getting ready, "but someone showed up asking to see me and he won't leave until he does. So I have to go and see him."

Buffy moved around him and turned on the water. She looked at him, as he got ready to face his day. This was going to be their life. He would get up every morning to work and she would do nothing. What was she going to do now? She made a sour face at that thought.

"What?" Angel asked.

"Nothing." She said as she went to get undressed. For a second she was nervous about getting undressed in front of him. She didn't have to be, but she was. Angel turned away to let her get undressed. She stepped into the shower and did the same as Angel, let the water flow over her. Angel put the gel in his hair and left the bathroom. For a minute, Buffy wanted him back in the room, but she knew that if he were she wouldn't get ready.

"I have a free space this afternoon. We can have some lunch. And talk about getting you something to do around here." Angel said as he pulled his pants on.

"Sure." Buffy called from the shower.

"Good." Angel replied as he pulled his shirt over his head. He felt bad leaving her. She had only been here a few days and he had to get up every morning and leave her upstairs. He had to give her something to do. Security was something he was thinking of. The water turned off and Buffy stepped out of the shower. She wrapped one of Angel's big towels around herself and walked into the room.

"That sounds like a good idea. I was thinking of doing some stuff around here. I really don't care what it is. Just give me something to do. Not that I don't like being in bed all day as long as I'm with you." She said as she moved towards him. She pulled him towards her and kissed him. Angel made a small groan and Buffy smiled. She loved it when he did that. She pulled away from him and gave him the biggest smile.

"So. What are you doing today Mr. CEO?" Angel laughed at the comment.

"Well, I have two major meetings and I have employee reviews. That is my day," Angel looked at his watch, "also I'm late. So I hate to do this, but I have to go." Buffy let him go and walked with him to the elevator. She kissed him again.

"I love you." She said.

"I love you more. See you downstairs." With that Angel went down to his office to start his day.

(Angel's office)

He saw the elevator open and he braced for evil, but what he saw was a man in a business suit and not looking evil. Angel walked into the room and saw the man. There was something familiar about him, like he knew him from somewhere. He couldn't place it though.

"Hi. I'm Angel. You were asking to see me." Angel moved to his desk and motioned for the man to sit in the chair opposite to him. The man stood. Reluctantly Angel sat down and waited for him to reply.

"I need your help." Angel looked at the man for a minute. He had no idea who he was but he was about to find out.

"Sure. What is the problem?" At first the messenger hesitated. Then he reluctantly sat down.

"I know who you are, Angelus." Was all he said.

"Excuse me?" Angel looked shocked. The messenger wasn't sure why, but he went on to explain.

"I am on of the Romani gypsies that cursed you. But I am not here to hurt you or even spy on you. I am here for your help," Without letting Angel get a word in the messenger continued, "There is a gypsy hunter after us. Our people. We cannot seem to find him and every chance he gets he evades our magic's. We have exhausted every avenue possible and there was much debate as to if you would even think of helping us. I am the Messenger and I was sent here to ask you for your help in this matter. Before you say no, please hear what we will give you in return. You and Buffy Summers are back together. So as reward for helping us, we will grant you one day of happiness with her. If you take the job, your soul worries will disappear for one day and one day only. What do you say?"

Angel was floored. What was he to think? Angel sat there for a few minutes thinking about all the pain that they had caused him over the years. 100 years of torment, Jenny Calendar spying on him; why should he help the people who destroyed his life? However, he had destroyed theirs.

"Let me talk it over with my people and we will see what we can do." That was all Angel said as he asked for Harmony to assemble the gang. The man rose and went to the door. Before he left he said one more thing:

"The elders may think you need punishment, but there are some of us who do believe you have suffered enough. Please help us. You are our last resort."

With that the messenger was gone. Angel was left with thoughts of possibility and of fear.

Part 2 

(Conference room)

"What do you think?" Angel asked as he concluded what the messenger had told him. Gunn, Wesley, and Lorne all looked please. They had no idea what to say but they looked happy about it. Wesley turned to Angel and looked into his face. Angel didn't look convinced. Wesley knew that.

"I think it is worth a shot. I know some Romani magic's. I could do some research and find out more. But there is no guarantee of course."

"Yeah," Gunn said, "for one we have a new case and two it will give you a small reward for services. And with Buffy back in your life I think it is worth a shot too."

"Angelcakes, have you talked to Buffy about this?" Lorne questioned. Angel knew that was coming. And no he hadn't.

"No. Not yet."

"Well maybe you should run it by her and see what she thinks." Lorne said turning to Wesley.

"Yes, Lorne is right. You should discuss this with Buffy. After all this is her reward too." Wesley said as he stood from the table.

"Yeah I'll tell her. But you all really believe this is a good idea. I mean really, no joke?" They all nodded in agreement. With a majority vote Angel complied. All right.

"Okay. So here is the plan. Wesley do some research into who or what this Hunter is. I need to know what I'm fighting. Gunn hit the legal books. Maybe this is a contract thing. Lorne, underground contacts would be nice. We need to talk to that messenger guy again and see what he has to say. If that is it, I will talk to Buffy." With that the gang got up from the table and split into their groups and got down to work.

(Upstairs)

Buffy was waiting for Angel. They were supposed to have lunch an hour ago and he still hadn't shown up. She was trying to put his job into perspective, but it was hard. She paced around the room until she heard the elevator doors open. She smiled when she saw Angel step into the room. She ran to him and threw her arms around him.

"Hi," she said, "and you're late."

"I know. I'm sorry. Something came up." A look of worry came across Angel's face. Buffy wanted to know what was up and she wanted to know now.

"We need to talk." Angel sat Buffy down and told her what had happened that morning. She was completely blown away. What was she to think? Angel was going to get this great reward but he had to help the people who tired to keep them apart.

"I think you should do it. An opportunity doesn't come around like this very often. And was deserve it damn it. So yeah, do it and I want to help." Buffy said as she turned to him. Angel moved to her and put his arms around her. He kissed her softly and held her close.

"Alright. Lets do this."

(Angel's office)

The Romani people had arrived and were explaining to Angel and his crew what was happening.

"There are only a dozen or more of us left. This man or thing came out of nowhere one night and began killing us. We have done nothing to him and we wish him no harm but we must save ourselves. If our people and traditions are going to survive then we must stop him. No, we don't know who his is and what he wants with us. All we know is that all our efforts to stop him have failed. So we are here for some actual strength. Our people don't believe in violence. For a while we thought there was nothing we couldn't solve with magic, we know now that we are wrong. Please, we know you hate us Angelus, but we need your help. If you ever wanted redemption with us, the time is now." The old man finished. He seemed to be the oldest out of the group. Angel was a little annoyed with the 'Angelus' but he bit his tongue.

"Okay, first off, its just Angel. Second, where was the last time you saw this hunter?" Angel said as he took in everything.

"The last time we saw the hunter was just the other night. He was waiting outside one of our rooms at the motel. He was just watching us. That is all. He did nothing. I think he knows why we are here. He may be here too. I don't know." The man seemed frustrated with everything. He was nervous and paranoid. Angel got that. His people were dying and he wanted to save them.

"Okay. Gunn check surveillance. I don't want to be surprised like the last time."

"Right."

"Wesley you get anything from your books?"

"No. Actually there was no reference to your people in any of our resources. I'm afraid we are flying blind Angel." Wesely said.

"That figures. Okay, so Buffy and I will take care of the violence part. I want you and Gunn to take the Romani to a safe place in the building. I get the feeling I won't have to find this guy. I think he is going to come to us." Angel said as he rose.

"Let me be the first to thank you," the messenger replied, "our people will be grateful no matter what you have done to us in the past." With that the messenger bowed before him and motioned for his people to follow him as Wesley and Gunn led them out of the room. Buffy turned to Angel.

"So what's the plan?" she asked.

"The plan is to wait. He'll come. They always do." With that Angel handed Buffy a weapon and they walked to the main entrance of the building.

(Security room)

Gunn was wired and hooked into Angel. He was keeping tabs on the cameras in the building. Gunn knew this guy would try to sneak in but it wasn't going to happen. They camera's all over the place. There was no way he would get in undetected.

"Nothing yet man."

"Thanks Gunn. Keep me posted."

"You got it." Gunn then turned his attention back to the camera. _Come on. Make me see you._

(Wesley's office)

Wesley had performed a spell to hide the Romani from sight and detection. They were going to get this guy on their turf. That was Angel's big plan. It was crazy but it would work. Angel hadn't led them wrong yet. Wesley waited for the signal to move. He had a spell prepared to strip the Hunter of movement. They may just pull this off.

(Outside Wolfram & Hart)

He could smell them. The Hunter was close. He knew they would be waiting for him. They always were. When were they going to figure this out? This had nothing to do with the Romani. It had everything to do with Angel. That was what his boss wanted. Angel's head on a stick. And he would have it; the Hunter would make sure of that. The Hunter then moved towards the main entrance. He thought of going in the back, but he knew there were cameras. He also knew that Angel would be waiting. The Hunter smiled to himself. This was going to be fun.

Part 3 

(Main lobby)

Angel waited. He was coming. He could smell it. Angel had evacuated the building hours ago. He didn't want his employees to lose their heads. Buffy and Angel both held swords and were ready to take the Hunter on, whatever he was. The last time Angel and Buffy had swords was back when Angel had lost his soul. There were a few painful memories but Angel knew that they were okay. Buffy had asked him if he was sure that this Hunter wasn't a vampire. He was sure. No one would use a vampire to do the job. Then they heard it. The door burst open and there stood the Hunter.

Angel had expected more. However, all the Hunter was was a simple man with a large set of weaponry. A human? Why would anyone send a human? For a minute Angel was worried about Buffy, but then he sensed it. This was no ordinary human. He was demon as well; a demon that looked human. Angel smiled to himself. This was going to be easy.

"So," he said, "You must be the Hunter. I'm Angel. Welcome to Wolfram & Hart. You won't be staying long." Angel looked to Buffy and they braced themselves. The Hunter just smiled. _What a simple fool. He has no idea. _The Hunter took out his sword and laughed.

"You think this is about those pathetic gypsies," he laughed some more, "it was never about them. It was fun to kill them though. Simple beings to kill. They don't like violence. Their magic's don't work on people like me. They never will. I am here for you, Angelus. You and only you." The Hunter came forward and Buffy and Angel tensed. This was it. With that the Hunter lunged at Angel. Buffy came up behind him and tried to strike him. The Hunter quickly batted her away and sent her flying across the room. Buffy hit the wall behind her and fell to the floor. Angel couldn't tell if she was okay. He moved out of the Hunters sights but only for a minute. The Hunter came after him and didn't stop. He swung his sword around and sliced Angel's leg. Angel made a slight gasp but put it off. No time for pain. Angel ducked and brought his sword around. The Hunter deflected it and jumped up on Harmony's desk. He kicked Angel in the head and sent him sprawling across the lobby floor.

(Security room)

"All units, he is in the main lobby. Repeat, main lobby." Gunn took his head phones off and headed for the weapons room. He grabbed an axe and headed towards the main lobby.

"Hold him off Angel, we're coming." Gunn raced down the hall and headed towards Wesley's office. He then turned a corner and burst into Wes's office.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Yes. I am." Wesley then began the spell.

(Main lobby)

Angel wasn't sure what was going on. He was just trying to stay alive. This guy was good. He was really good. Buffy had gotten up and jumped back into the ring. The Hunter had no problems batting her away. She was bruised and cut but she kept going. Angel and her continued their joint efforts to take him down, but nothing seem to work. Then it happened. The team entered the room and attempted to stun the Hunter. The stun gun's only held him up for a minute, but in the minute a cloud of purple magic engulfed the Hunter. The Hunter was paralyzed.

"What have you done to me?" The Hunter demanded. Now it was Angel's turn to laugh. Angel went to Buffy and held her up. This was going to take a while to recover from.

"You see. We aren't gypsies. So that means our magic's work on you. I bet you weren't expecting that one were you." Truth was he hadn't. He didn't think that this Wolfram & Hart was that resourceful. The Hunter attempted to move again, but he couldn't. They had beaten him. His boss was not going to be happy.

"The do it. Kill me. It's what you want to do isn't it. Justice. Do it. Kill me." The Hunter taunted. Angel laughed again. This time Buffy joined in.

"No. I have a better idea for you. You are going to spend the rest of your life in hell. When I said welcome, I didn't just mean welcome; I meant welcome to Hell. You are never leaving." With that Angel gave the signal. The team shot the Hunter with numerous tranquilizers. The Hunter had an odd expression on his face. He then hit the floor. The room shook. Angel looked at Buffy and gave her a hug. They had won. They had won and defeated the Hunter. Angel wasn't sure what to tell the Romani people. Again, he had caused them great pains and loses.

(Angel's office – 6 hours later)

"The Hunter wasn't after you," Angel said, "He was after me. Whoever he was didn't want anything to do with you. He knew you would come here that is why he went after you. It was all just an attempt to get to me."

They gypsy people took that in. The messenger was the one who spoke first.

"That does not change our agreement. They may have wanted you, but they would have killed all of us to do it. We will honor our agreement. We do not break our promises. Be read for tonight Angel." With that the Romani exited the room. No more was said; they didn't have to say any more. They were a good people and they were still going to give Angel his reward. Angel smiled slightly.

(Angel's penthouse)

The last candle was lit. Angel lay on the bed in a nothing but a pair of cotton pants. The Romani people circled the bed and joined hands. Angel closed his eyes and listened to the words:

"By the power of the Elders,  
By the sun, moon, and stars,  
We call upon thee.  
To bind what was lost,  
But now is found.  
To give on day,  
The pain undone."

With that a small cloud formed over Angel's body. Buffy was worried for a minute. What if they were kidding? What if this was another trick? One of the elders noticed her worry and gave her a slight smile. Buffy then relaxed. She saw something in that smile that made her feel like everything was going to be okay.

The cloud of smoke became a thin wisp of what seemed to be glitter. It lowered onto Angel's body and it seemed to make his skin glow. Then the light was gone. The candle's seemed to go out on their own. The Romani people quietly cleaned up as Angel sat up on the bed.

"It is done. You have one day. No more, no less. Use it wisely." With the spell done and the threat gone, the Romani people. Angel got the feeling that he would be seeing them again. The gang gave Angel a smile and also exited the room.

"Don't worry about a thing," Wesley said, "we will take care of everything." The group left Angel and Buffy. Angel smiled at her and put his arms out for her to join him. Buffy moved to him and sat in his lap.

"This is good. This is all going to be perfect. I can feel the magic Buffy," Angel said as he held her, "it is so pure and it's for me." Angel smiled as he kissed her. Buffy put her arms around his neck and pulled him close. She was ready. She had been for a long time now. This was their night. Their one night and one day. Buffy pulled herself into her lover's arms and kissed him hard. This was going to be the best day of their lives. Buffy knew that this wouldn't be the only one. She didn't know how she knew, she just did.

Angel pulled Buffy to him and they descended. For now they were together and they were happy. It was worth it. Angel knew it was. They were going to be together forever.

(Outside)

_How does he do it? _Sunny thought. For some reason Angel always managed to win. His cell phone went off. Now he had to explain to his boss that the Hunter had failed. That they had to try to kill Angel some other way.

"Yeah." He said into the phone.

"Is the target destroyed?"

"No. He failed." Sunny listened to his boss for a moment then hung up. This next showdown was going to be good. And Angel wasn't going to get away. Not this time


	3. Chapter 3

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**

Episode 1.3: Time to Let Go & original ending

Written by Linsey

Original airdate: April 14, 2004

Episode rating: K+

**Part 1**

Angel walked through the Wolfram & Hart lobby, he was tired and all he wanted to do was go to his penthouse and maybe watch some TV with Buffy, he was heading for his office when from out of nowhere he was punched in his face.

Angel staggered back, pain traveling through his body to where he was hit, moving his hand to his jaw he tried to make the pain go away. Curious to see who had the guts to hit him in his own building, he looked up to see who it was, seeing an enraged Spike staring back at him.

Spike continued trying to punch Angel, but only hit him 3 times in his face. Angel getting pissed off himself, punched Spike back, the younger vampire fell to the floor.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Angel glared at him; Spike quickly got up and delivered Angel another punch. This one wasn't aimed as well as the others were, Angel caught it just in time before it hit his face again, that he knew would start swelling any time now, he grabbed Spike's right hand twisting it, hitting him with his own right hand.

Spike staggered back, standing up straight after 5 seconds or so; he once again tried to attack Angel. Only to fail miserably, Angel grabbed Spike by his arms threw him into a wall that was closest to them, pushing him into it, "Don't make me repeat my question, boy," Angel ordered in a deadly tone.

When Spike didn't answer, Angel started to get impatient, grabbing him by his arms, pulling him back roughly and pushing him into the wall with all his force. Spike groaned in pain.

"You mate, you bloody took her away from me, that's what's wrong with me!" Spike yelled, trying desperately to get away from Angel, not succeeding with Angel death grip on him. "How the fuck is that my fault!" Angel yelled at him, his anger flowing off of him in waves.

"Cause you always take what's mine away from me! Dru was mine and so is Buffy! You took em' both away from me!" Spike shouted at him, "Buffy and Dru were never yours, I made Dru, I marked Buffy. You always were a loser Spike," Angel said smirking, he let go of Spike and started walking to his office again. Spike owning Buffy and Dru what a joke...

Anger over took him, "If I can't have her, than neither will you," Spike vowed, walking out of the W&H building.

--

Finally opening the door to his penthouse, he saw Buffy sitting on the couch watching TV.

"Hey," He greeted her, closing the door behind him, toeing his shoes off, taking off his jacket and loosening his tie, he walked over to where Buffy sat.

"Hey," Buffy greeted, moving forward on the couch, so Angel could sit behind her.

Which he did, giving her a soft, gentle kiss on her lips, she sighed and snuggled into his chest, loving the feel of his firm chest against her back.

"So how was your day?" She asked as she flipped through the channel's, that was what she had been doing for the last hour or so, "It was okay I guess, until my encounter with Spike," He brushed his fingers through her hair.

"Encounter with Spike?" Buffy questioned, she hadn't spoken or seen Spike since she decided to be with Angel, spending most of her time up in his penthouse.

"Yeah, I was making my way over here when out the middle of nowhere I get punched in my jaw a couple of times, so I hit him back, pushed him against the wall and asked him what the hell was wrong with him, he told me that I had taken you and Dru away from him and that if he didn't get you that I wouldn't either," Angel explained in a short version.

"He hit you?" Buffy turned around to properly look at Angel, seeing a bruise lightly forming itself on Angel's jaw, "Yes," Angel answered although it wasn't really a question. "Are you okay?" Buffy asked in concern, "I'll be fine," Angel reassured her, giving her another kiss.

Buffy turned around again when the last part of Angel explanation sank in.

_//if he didn't get you that I wouldn't either//_

She turned around once more and looked into her lover's eyes, who knew what she was thinking, the fear of whatever Spike could have planned for them.

She turned off the TV it was late and she just wanted to go to sleep, she took his hand and led him into the bedroom. Where he took off his clothes and lay down on the comfortable king size bed, Buffy taking off her bathrobe leaving her in just a tank top and some shorts she lay down on the bed also, laying her head at the crook of Angel's shoulder, getting herself comfortable and fell into a deep sleep along with Angel.

--

Angel woke up first, slowly cracking an eye open, closing it quickly at the harsh sunlight that streamed through the necrotempered glass, he nuzzled into Buffy's hair that smelled like vanilla. He dreaded about the idea of getting up all he wanted to do was sleep all day, lie in bed with Buffy, though not being able to do what he would really want to do of course...

Buffy woke up from her sleep, shooting up in bed; she had had the worst nightmare ever.

Spike killing Angel.

**Part 2**

_//If he didn't get you I wouldn't either//_

Quickly getting out of bed, she walked to the bathroom, taking a quick shower. Getting dressed in a pair of jeans and a tank top she walked over to Angel giving him a quick kiss before putting on her shoes and making her way to the living.

"Hey, where you going?" Angel asked sleepy, looking over at Buffy who just seemed to be a tiny blur. "I'm going over to Spike's," Buffy told him matter-of-factly. Angel head shot up from his pillow, "What?" he asked again. "Why?" He asked her again, "I'm going to tell him that he better not come anywhere near either of us, cause if he does he'll see the slayer in me," Buffy said.

Angel slowly got out of bed, pillow creases on his arms and back, hair sticking out everywhere. He looked over to where she stood being able to actually see her now, every detail. "Is there anything that I can say that is going to stop you from doing that?" Angel asked hoping her answer was a 'yes', but in his mind he knew better.

Buffy had always been stubborn as hell.

"No," Buffy stated walking over to him once more, giving him another kiss, "Okay then," Angel said to her sighing, before walking away to the bathroom, to get into the shower, getting ready for his own day.

Buffy walked out of the W&H building and to Spike's apartment.

--

"Spike, open the door!" Buffy shouted, banging on the door loudly, she was seriously getting pissed off at him, she had been standing there for about 10 minutes and Spike wouldn't open the door. "Alright, alright, bloody hell slayer," Spike yelled from behind the door, he had tried to ignore her but he knew that if she kept up banging on his door it would bust, slowly he opened the door to reveal a very pissed off slayer.

"What can I do for ya?" He asked in a cocky tone, Buffy didn't even answer she just hit him, making him fall to the floor. "Stay away from Angel!" She yelled at him, "You don't own me okay? 'I' own myself, 'I' can be with whoever I want and if you don't like my choice than tough shit, cause there's nothing in the world you can do about it!" She continued, she saw Spike turn very pissed off, jumping up quickly to stand up.

"You lied to me!" Spike shouted back at her, "You lied cause you said that you weren't going to be with either of us! Yet you chose the fucking bastard over me!" Spike yelled. Taking a step forward, Buffy didn't move back. "I chose 'The Fucking Bastard' over you because I love Angel, I don't love you so there's a difference, just stay away from me and Angel!" Buffy shouted.

Hitting him once more below his eye, she left.

--

Buffy returned to the penthouse, Angel wasn't there; he had probably gone to his office.

Good, she needed some time alone.

She was sure that Spike was going to do something to her or Angel or maybe both, but he wasn't a very good planner so it was nothing to worry about, right then back to flipping through the TV channel, she really needed a job.

--

Spike knew he had to have a plan, but the thing was he wasn't very good at that.

So he was just going to go for the kill, he would go over to Angel's office and kill him, all he had to do was make sure Buffy wasn't in the same building.

--

Angel had been looking on the web for some jobs for Buffy; he knew she wanted to get a job. He didn't however want her to have a job at Wolfram & Hart.

He printed out some information about the jobs he'd looked up, and decided he'd bring them to her now, seeing as he had nothing else to do.

--

The door to his penthouse opened and he saw her sitting on the couch, flipping through the channels.

"Hey," He greeted her, "Hey," She greeted back.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you busy?" She asked curiously.

"No not really, I looked up some jobs for you," he informed her.

"Looked up? I'm going to be working here aren't I?" Buffy asked, turning off the TV to look at him properly.

"No you're not," He told her, walking over and sitting in a near by chair, "I wouldn't want you to work in a place like this, hell I don't even like it here, I don't want you to have a job here," Angel explained, she was about to protest when he handed her the papers.

She looked through the printed papers, most of the jobs she wasn't interested in but one go her attention, 'school counselor' she read the information, seeing a phone number she picked up the phone and dialed the number.

**Part 3**

After about 5 minutes Buffy found out she had a job interview the next day at 11:00.

She smiled to herself then she reminded that Angel was still in the room looking at her, "Well?" He asked her curiously.

"I have a job interview tomorrow at 11:00!" She smiled happily.

"Good," Angel smiled back at her, he got up and gave her a quick kiss, before heading out the door for his office, "I'll see you later on," He said, "Bye," She said, sighing she turned the TV back on.

--

Angel was in his office, calling one of his drivers to be ready to pick her up tomorrow at 10:30 for her job interview.

--

Spike walked through the doors, he heard Angel ask his driver to pick up Buffy tomorrow at 10:30.

Everything was turning out to be so easy for him, Buffy was leaving for a job interview Angel would be in his office, Spike would come in kill him. That was a pretty good plan.

--

Angel was on the phone when Spike walked in, he quickly finished his phone call.

"Yes?" He asked bored. "Jus' wanted to know if I could do something'," Spike asked.

"No I don't need you right now, what's the real reason you came?" Angel asked.

"Nah, that was my reason, I was bored wanted to know if I could do something' is all," Spike said trying to cover up his lie as well as he could.

"Nothing to do here," Angel replied not once believing Spike wanted to do something in the middle in the afternoon.

--

-Next Day-

Buffy was lying awake in bed, Angel's arms wrapped around her, his body perfectly still.

She slowly turned her head around to see what time it was, the clock showed 09:20. She was surprised that Angel was still asleep, he was usually up earlier. She quickly switched off the alarm, then quietly trying to get out of Angel's hold on her. She moved her hand up to his shoulder and nudged him lightly...

There was no response.

She nudged him a little harder on his shoulder still trying to wake him up...

Still no response.

She kissed him slightly, as soon as he responded, she pulled back.

Angel opened his eyes a little, seeing Buffy he smiled at her. "What time is it?" He asked sleepy, she quickly turned her head looking at the clock again, "09:24," She replied giving him one more soft kiss on his lips before she got out of his hold, sitting up straight on the edge of the bed and getting up, slowly walking to the bathroom to take a shower, get dressed and go to her job interview.

--

55 minutes later, Buffy and Angel were both dressed, headed out the door, heading downstairs, walking through the lobby. Angel said goodbye and good luck to her as he made his way to his office; Buffy wished him a nice day at work.

She went down with the elevator entering the below ground car parking, seeing a car ready for her, the door already opened for her with a young man waiting for her to get in, she did the young man closed the door and the car drove out of Wolfram & Hart and to the school for her job interview.

--

Spike had been spying on Buffy and Angel for a while now, he saw that Buffy had taken herself down to the below ground car park and also saw that Angel had just entered his office this would have been the last time he would see Buffy... Show Time...

--

Angel had just entered his office sighing he closed it behind him, he really didn't feel like working today. He was just about to make his way to his desk and sit down to look through some files, when the doors behind him opened.

Angel turned around seeing Spike standing at the doorway, "Yes?" Angel asked, Spike was the last person he wanted to see today.

Spike walked in his office closing the doors behind him, he walked up to Angel.

"Thought we'd have a talk," Spike said punching Angel.

Angel staggered back, the punch was totally unexpected. Spike was about to hit him again but Angel ducked it, ready for action. Angel punched Spike in his face, who took a few steps back to hold his balance.

Spike was launching himself at Angel again, pushing him to the ground. Spike gave him a few blows in his face then punching him in his stomach. He quickly got up and kicked him in his side. Angel doubled over in pain, Spike continued to kick him, and he enjoyed seeing Angel in pain.

**Part 4**

Angel rolled over on his stomach, trying to get up. Spike walked over to Angel's cabinet of weapons, grabbing a stake he turned around to see Angel in front of him. Punching him, Spike fell back against the cabinet, glass breaking, weapons falling to the ground -even Spike's weapon- from the force of Angel's punch.

"She's mine!" Spike shouted between gritted teeth, "Wrong," Angel said, he grabbed a pair of handcuffs from a deadbolt; cuffing Spike with one hand he cuffed the other end to the deadbolt. He then grabbed his gun.

Spike started laughing, "That's not going to kill me," He said, in reply he got a punch from Angel, spitting up blood he continued to laugh.

"You have a choice, you leave me and Buffy alone, by leaving the country and never returning or I kill you," Angel said looking at Spike to make his decision.

"I'd never leave her alone with you," Spike vowed.

Angel nodded walking about 2 meters away from Spike, "She's mine," Angel said before shooting into the necrotempered glass, The glass broke falling in and out the building letting warm sun streams flow through the hole the bullet made.

Everything went in slow motion, Spike was trying to pull free from the handcuffs but they were magically enchanted, the harder you pull, the tighter they become around your wrist. He screamed as the sunlight hit him, burning him once again, and several screams later he burned away to hell only leaving his ashes behind.

Angel left his office; at least he had an excuse not to go to work today.

--

Buffy had just had her interview; she could start her job in a week.

She walked out of the high school, walking towards the car that had driven her here, the driver opened his door walking to hers he opened her door. Buffy got in the door, her door closed by the driver, he returned to the drivers seat and they drove back to Wolfram & Hart.

--

Buffy walked into the main lobby of Wolfram & Hart, she thought she'd stop by in Angel's office to tell him the good news.

Opening the door she saw the necrotempered glass had broke, his cabinet of weapons that were now lying on the floor, and ashes on the floor.

_//If he didn't have you I wouldn't either//_

Her heart pounded in her ears, fear taking over her body, she ran to Harmony's desk. "Where's Angel?" She asked, surprising herself that she had said it without breaking down.

"He said he took the day off," Harmony said quickly before picking up the phone that was ringing.

Buffy ran up the stairs to the penthouse, still not believing Angel would take the day off. She opened the door to see him sitting in a chair reading, she ran towards him jumped on his lap, needing to make sure he was real.

--

Angel was caught up in his thoughts; he didn't even notice Buffy had entered the room until he had her in his arms. "Oh god, you're real, I thought... I thought you were dead," Buffy said to him emotion shown in her voice.

"Why did you think that?" He asked.

"I... I went into your office and the glass was broken and all your weapons were on the floor and there were ashes on the floor so I thought you'd been burned by the sunlight and--" She was cut off by a kiss from Angel.

"I'm right here," he reassured her, breaking off the kiss.

"Yeah, I know but I thought, you know with Spike that maybe he'd killed you," Buffy explained.

"He tried," Angel said.

"Again?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, he came into my office, told me that we needed to talk. Then he attacked me by punching me and kicking my side to I fell to the floor. He went over to my weapon cabinet, getting some sort of weapon and when he turned around I was in front of him and I punched him. I handcuffed him onto a dead bolt grabbed a gun, then I gave him a choice, he leaves you and me alone by leaving the country and never returning or I kill him, he said he'd never leave you alone with me so I killed him," Angel finished looking up in her eyes, expecting her to be pissed off.

Buffy was shocked, Spike attacking Angel, Angel handcuffing Spike, killing him.

"You shouldn't have given him a choice," Buffy said.

Angel let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding, grabbing her by her shoulders. He pulled her into his chest even more; he sprayed kisses over her hair and her face.

"My Angel saved me again," She sighed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**

Episode 1.4: Two to Tango

Written by The Main Slayer

Original airdate: May 8, 2004

Episode rating: K+

Part 1 

It was Buffy's first day at her new job and she was nervous. More nervous then the first time at the new Sunnydale High. She wasn't sure if she could really pull this off. She had gotten the job at Sunnydale High because the principle knew she was the Slayer and wanted her around. Now it was all for real. Buffy walked the noisy halls of Emmerson High and couldn't help but notice that the high school reminded her of Sunnydale. _That can never be good._ She thought. Buffy walked to the main office and waited for 10 minutes before she was acknowledged. Buffy was then shown into a large room and she sat on the biggest chair she had ever seen. This high school happened to be located in 'snob hill' as some people put it. All the students were those students who had parents that paid for everything and gave them whatever they wanted. This was definitely going to be an adventure. Just then the principle walked into the room and smiled.

"You must be Buffy Summers," Buffy stood and shook his hand, "I'm Tom Walker and the principle here at Emmerson High."

"Hi. It's nice to meet you finally. It took a while to get in here."

"Yes, well you know out students, just cause they have money they believe they own the world. It seems there are more people who misbehave here then anywhere else." With that he sat down in front of Buffy and pulled up a file. Buffy sat down and looked at it. Her name happened to be on the front.

"So, can I ask what that is?"

"This is your record from Sunnydale High and a recommendation from Principle Wood. It seems you can connect to students very well. He had nothing but good things to say despite what happened in Sunnydale. He told me that you enjoyed your job and even when he fired you, you wanted to stay on."

"Fired me? That is what he told you. Well I guess that is true but there were reasons behind that. Good reasons. I really liked working with the students but…"

"Yes he told me. A family crisis made you leave your position at Sunnydale High. Too bad. How is your sister by the way?" Buffy looked shocked. Wood had lied for her to get the job. _Note to self, thank him._

"She is good. Better. Thank you for asking. So when do I start?"

"You can start now. I have a few cases that I think you would be perfect for you. So let me show you to your office."

Buffy and Tom got up and headed to her office. It was a small office but it was her private office. She actually had her own. Her name was on the door and it said that she was to help students with the last names from P – Z.

"This is it. Your office. You have all the necessary elements of a counselor's office, computer, filing cabinets, etcetera. You know. Well that is it I will leave you to it. Your first appointment is in 15 minutes. I hope you are ready." With that he left. Buffy was left to her own devises. She picked up the first file on her desk. She wasn't sure what to do. It was all overwhelming. She thought of reading the file but instead she picked up the phone and dialed the number at Wolfram & Hart.

The phone rang about three times before Angel decided to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hey babe." Buffy's voice made his day all worthwhile.

"Hey you. How is your day going?"

"Alright. I have my first appointment soon but I thought I would get in a phone call to you first."

"Awww. That is so sweet. Thanks. I miss you though." Angel said as he got up and looked out the window. The sun made him feel warm all over, too bad it wasn't real.

"I miss you too. It is going to be interesting. The students here get in more trouble then I did. I don't get it. It must be the 'I'm-rich-and-don't-care' attitude." Buffy said as the secretary knocked on her door. Buffy acknowledged her and gave her the 'just-a-minute' look.

"Angel I have to go. My first student troublemaker is here. I love you and I will see you later." Buffy said reluctantly.

"I love you too, hun. I'll see you soon." With that Buffy hung up the phone and let the girl in. Her file said that she was having problems attending classes and doing homework. _Sounds familiar._

"Hi. I'm Buffy. Please sit down." The girl didn't look too interested. Reluctantly she sat down.

"Fine."

"Okay, so first off, what is your name?"

"You didn't read it in my file?" She asked.

"Well I thought it would be nice for me to hear everything from you instead of a file folder. It works out better." Buffy replied with a smile.

"Fine, my name is Maria Tomaz and I don't want to talk about anything cause it is none of your business." Maira then sat with her arms crossed and glared at her. _This is going to be a hard one._ Buffy thought as she opened the folder.

(Angel's office)

Angel missed Buffy. He wanted her to be with him right now. But unfortunately she had to work and he had a meeting to attend. Angel got up out of his chair and headed to the conference room. Wesley had a new lead on who was terrorizing Wolfram & Hart with there little pranks. The black out, the gypsy hunter, and more. Someone was watching and keeping tabs on him and he wanted to know whom. Angel walked into the room to find all of his friends waiting for him.

"Well this is a change. Normally I am the first one here." Angel then sat down and found that Wesley was looking concerned. Angel wasn't sure what to think of it but he sat down and braced himself for the worst.

"Angel, I imagine that you have kept secrets. But this one is the worst."

"Wes, what are you talking about? What secret?" Wesley pulled up a gift.

"How could you not tell your friends that it is your birthday?" He pushed the gift towards him and smiled.

"For one, I don't keep track anymore. I'm too old, plus what does it matter. But thanks you guys. It means a lot." Angel accepted the gift and the others to follow but all he wanted was for Buffy to be there. He missed her around. He wasn't sure if he could go through with this her having her own job thing. But he would deal.

Part 2 

(Emmerson High)

Buffy was walking to the staff room. It was her lunch break and she didn't intend to waste it. Her first case did not go as well as she had hoped. Maria had been more or less not helpful at all. Buffy walked into the staff room to find that the room silenced when she entered. _Must have been something I did. Or the fact that I am the new one._ Buffy smiled and walked to where she had put her bag. Angel had packed her a lunch before she left. She retrieved her food and sat down at a table where no one was sitting. _This is just like high school only worse._ Buffy was about to start eating when a really cute teacher walked in. He noticed her as well and smiled. He had a warm smile, one that wouldn't take long to get used to. She smiled back and he walked over.

"Is anyone sitting here?"

"Nope. Do you want to take the chair?" Buffy asked. The man laughed.

"No. I was wondering if I could sit with you?" He said smiling even bigger. Buffy smiled back.

"Sure. If you think you can stomach the fact that I am the new girl." Buffy said as she made room for him.

"I Lucas Manning. And you are…"

"Buffy. Buffy Summers. It is very nice to meet you Lucas." Buffy said as she shook her hand.

"The pleasure is all mine. So how do you like it so far?" Lucas asked as he sat down with her and started to eat his own doggy bag lunch.

"It's alright. The girl I saw this morning was less then happy to be there."

"Yeah, Maria. She is not the best student in the world."

"Is she in one of your classes?" Buffy asked suddenly interested in what he was about to tell her.

"Yeah. She doesn't do much. Very quiet and she won't participate in activities. She is pretty much alone all the time. When she does say something it is about vampires and crazy monsters. She calls herself a vampire. It is the new thing for students these days. Something their parents don't get and don't ask questions about." Buffy was suddenly very interested. _Vampire cults, yay. _

"Really. Wow. Sounds like the kids here will do anything for attention." Buffy said as she made a mental note to research it at home.

"Yeah that is true. But hey, it is just a thing for attention as you said. Don't read to much into it." Lucas said. He was eyeing her up now. Buffy was flattered but she knew that it was nothing but harmless fun.

"So, what do teachers and counselors do when they are not dealing with students?" Buffy asked as she finished her lunch.

"Well they accept dinner invitations for Saturday night." Lucas said with a smile. Buffy knew where he was going with it, but she couldn't help but thing what was the harm in one dinner. So she accepted and told him to meet her at the small French café on Lemmin Street. When the day ended Buffy was more than happy to go home and spend the night in her boyfriends arms.

(Angel's penthouse)

Buffy was really tired but she wanted to spend some time with her man. She put on a cute little piece of sleepwear and sat down on the couch. She had lit some candles and put on some music and she waited for him to come up stairs. It took Angel an hour to arrive. By that time Buffy had fallen asleep on the couch and the candles were already out. Angel smiled when he saw her. He walked over to her and put a blanket around her tiny figure. Buffy didn't even move. Angel then left her sleeping and went to the bathroom. He took a quick shower and put some shorts on. He then picked up Buffy's bag and started to unload it for her. A small white piece of paper fell out of it. He picked it up and placed it on the dresser. He unpacked her bag and set it down. He then moved to the dresser once more. Curiosity was getting the better of him and he opened the folded paper. There was a name and a number in it. _Someone from work probably._ Angel didn't pay attention to it and went back out to the living room. Buffy was still asleep. Angel slowly picked up her feet and put them in his lap. He turned the TV on and sat there slowly massaging her small feet. Buffy made as light moan and turned over.

"Hey." She said.

"Hey." Angel replied.

"What took you so long? I had things ready for you." Buffy said as she sat up and leaned into him and gave him a kiss.

"Oh you know me. All work and no play." Angel replied as he kissed her again. Buffy laughed as they kissed and wrapped her arms around his neck. Angel pulled Buffy into his lap and kissed her harder. Reluctantly he pulled away and smiled.

"I missed you today." He said.

"I missed you too." Buffy replied as she went back to the kissing part. That was the best part of her day. She came home and was able to kiss the one person that meant the most to her. She pulled away once more and looked into his eyes.

"So what did you do today?" she asked.

"Well I had three meetings today and I was surprised with a birthday 'party'. Other than that it was pretty uneventful. We still don't know who or what is after me, but then that will come in time. What about you?"

"Birthday?"

"Yeah it is my birthday."

"Well then it is a good thing I put on my best dress for you…also," Buffy said as she got up off Angel, "I got this for you." She handed him a box wrapped perfectly with a card.

"Awww you didn't have to do that." Angel said as he took the gift.

"Yes I did. You are the love of my life. I had to get you something. And as to my day, well I had this one girl who told me nothing about who she was, I met a really nice coworker who ended up telling me that the students like to pretend that they are vampires. But other than that, nothing interesting." Angel smiled and watched as Buffy sat down next to him. He opened the gift to find that there was a brand new leather duster inside.

"Wow. Thanks. How did you know I needed one?" Angel smiled as he stood to try it on.

"A little bird told me," Buffy laughed as she helped him put it on, "what do you think? Do you like it?"

"Like? I love it. It fits great. Thank you love."

"You're welcome." With that Buffy moved towards Angel. She took the coat from him and set it down on one of the dinning room chairs. She took her lover by the hand and pulled him up off the couch. She kissed him briefly then led him by one hand to the huge king sized bed that they slept in. Before pushing him onto the bed, Buffy held him for a moment. This was everything that she ever wanted. Angel kissed her gently at first but then the kiss grew with passion. Angel fell backwards on the bed and Buffy climbed on beside him. Angel pulled the covers up around her shoulders and pulled her to him. He kissed her again and placed many small kisses to her temple.

"I love you." He whispered into her ear.

"I love you too." Buffy replied as she began to fall asleep. Together they fell into a deep slumber and it seemed that throughout the night they had the same thoughts and dreams. They really were soul mates. However, Buffy's mind kept wandering. She kept thing of Lucas, and that smile...

Part 3 

The next day Buffy attended work with a fresh out look on the students she was working with. Before returning she had done some research on these so called vampire cults and found out that it was nothing but harmless fun for students. A cry for help more or less and that was what Buffy was here to do, help. When Buffy entered the staff room she found herself looking for Lucas. _Buffy what are you doing? You have a boyfriend and you love him so stop it._ Shaking her head, she moved through the staff members and to her locker where she kept her bag. She put her bag in the locker and shut it. Suddenly Lucas appeared.

"Hey." He said.

Startled Buffy smiled, "Hey yourself."

"So I figure for dinner, that Friday night will work. What do you think?" He smiled again. Buffy loved his smile.

"Sure that sounds great. Remember though I am taken. So no funny stuff." She replied as she moved to one of the tables.

"Funny stuff free. Just dinner between friends." Lucas replied as he sat down beside her. Of course he was upset but it would do.

"So what I did a little background on these so called vampire cults," Buffy started, "and they are nothing but harmless fun like you said. I just remember what those cults were like at my high school and they were not fun at all."

Lucas smiled, "Yeah, the kids don't know what they are talking about. Vampires have always fascinated me."

When he said that a small warning bell went off in Buffy's head. _You are more then what you seem aren't you Lucas Manning. Note to self, do a background on Lucas._ Buffy just smiled and continued with the conversation. It turned out that Lucas was part of a vampire cult in his day too. So did that mean he worshiped them or did he like to play pretend. Buffy and Lucas finalized their plans and Buffy headed back to her office. When she got there it turned out that she didn't have any appointment until 2 so she picked up the phone and dialed the offices of Wolfram & Hart.

"Hello, thank you for calling Wolfram & Hart can you please hold for a moment?" Harmony chimed in.

"Hey Harm, it's Buffy."

"Oh, you want to talk to the boss?" She asked as she filed her nails.

"No, I need to talk to Wesley. Can you put him through for me?"

"Sure. Just a sec." With that Harmony put Buffy on hold and dialed in Wesley.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Buffy is on line one and would like to speak with you."

"Yes put her through." Wesley picked up the phone more than surprised to hear from Buffy.

"Yes Buffy what can I do for you?" he asked her.

"I need you to do me a favor." Buffy said as she locked her office door.

"Sure what is it?" Wesley asked again as he picked up a pen and some paper.

"I need you to use your resources and find out everything you can about a guy names Lucas Manning. He works with me and seems way to interested in vampires to be a high school teacher."

Wesley wrote the name down with the words 'possible vampire lackey' beside it, "Of course I can do that. When do you need the information by?"

"Friday. I agreed to go to dinner with him and I want to know who and what he really is."

"Does Angel know about dinner?" Wesley asked worrying for his friend.

"No, but I am going to tell him once I find out who he is. I mean he could be the bad guy trying to kill Angel. Just don't tell him. I will. Look I have to go I have an appointment in like 10 minutes. Thanks Wes." With that Buffy hung up the phone. Wesley sighed and began to find an angle in order to start his research. This was going to be an interesting read.

(Emmerson High)

Buffy was done for the day and was ready to go home. She really hoped that Wesley had come up with something to go off of. She need to know who he was and why he was so interested in her and why he was so hot for vampires. Buffy got in her car, that Angel had bought her, and headed back to the offices of Wolfram & Hart unbeknownst to her that she was being watched.

(Emmerson High parking lot)

"So what did you find out?" Sunny asked.

"Nothing yet. I have dinner with her on Friday." Lucas said as he emerged from the shadows.

"Good. You better not fail. My boss is getting tired of failures." Sunny replied as he turned to the man. Lucas' form then shifted from human to demon. A huge red demon with two horns on the top of his head and large white eyes.

"Don't worry. I have a foolproof plan. The vampire will suffer. He will suffer more than any vampire has ever suffered before. Filthy creatures that they are. The Slayer will lead me to the vampire I am sure of it. And I don't fail. Never have failed on a bounty before in my life. I don't intend to start now." With that the demon moved back into the shadows and disappeared. Satisfied Sunny took out his cell and dialed a number.

"Tell the boss that it has been set. Angelus will not get away this time." Sunny hung up and got into his car. The Machea demon was correct, the vampire would not get away.

(Wesley's office)

Wesley had been having a difficult time with this Lucas Manning fellow. It turned out that he was not a teacher and he wasn't registered in any system known to man. Lucas Manning didn't exist. Wesley found that puzzling. He was about to pick up another book when Buffy walked into his office.

"Did you find anything?" she asked.

"Well, no."

"What do you mean, no?" Buffy questioned as she sat down in front of him.

"I mean, no. Lucas Manning doesn't exist." Buffy looked at him questioningly.

"Okay so then who or what is he?" She asked the ex-Watcher.

"I am looking into the possibility that he may be a demon or vampire that can change its form."

"Not vampire. He can walk in the sunlight." Buffy replied.

"Alright then. Demon. So far I haven't come up with anything. But you should be prepared for anything. Especially Friday night." Wesley said.

"I will. It's just dinner Wes, besides I'm the Slayer if he tries anything I will just have to kill him." Buffy said as she looked at him.

"Still do be careful."

"I will. I promise." Buffy said.

(Outside Wesley's office)

Angel saw Buffy come in a walk straight past his office. So he had followed her to Wesley's office where she had walked in and started to talk to him. With his super hearing abilities Angel listened in on the conversation. He didn't get the whole thing but what he did get made him very upset and hurt. _Buffy is going on a date Friday night and it's not with me. What is she doing? Why would she do this to me? What did I do to deserve her cheating on me? And why is she talking to Wesley about it?_ Enraged with anger Angel left the outside of the office and headed towards his office doors. On the way Angel broke three mirrors and one support beam bringing down one of the set of stairs to the upper floors. He was going to find out who this was and he wasn't going to let Buffy make him feel this way. He wanted blood, and not just any, he wanted this Lucas Mannings blood and he wanted it soon.

Part 4 

(Friday night)

Buffy quickly put some cloths on and headed out the door. Just then Angel showed up in the doorway. He had a strange look on his face like he was ready to hurt something or someone. Buffy didn't break stride and she headed for her keys.

"Going out?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. Dinner with some co-workers." Buffy said as she put her keys in her purse. Angel knew she was lying and he didn't like it.

"Who?" he asked. Buffy turned and gave him a surprised look.

"Angel I am going out with some staff members. You don't need to know who. Don't you trust me?" Buffy asked as she tried to pass him. He wouldn't move.

"You are lying. I can tell." Angel moved forward slightly forcing her to move back into the room.

"No I'm not. Why are you acting like this? Angel you are scaring me." Buffy said in a smaller voice. What was he doing? Why was he acting like…….Angelus. For a moment Buffy thought that he was Angelus then she saw that he was not just angry but that he was upset.

"Angel, please what is wrong? Why are you acting this way? Please tell me." Buffy asked him as she tried to reach for him. He pushed her hand away.

"Who is Lucas Manning?" he question, "Tell me who he is!"

"He is someone from work. I am just meeting with him. That is all. There is nothing going on, please, you have to believe me." Buffy said as she moved away from him and put the kitchen table between her and Angel.

"Nothing going on? Then why are you wearing an outfit that makes it look like you are going on a date? Why would you go to Wesley about him? Why would you not tell me in the first place?" He said as he rounded the corner of the table. Buffy stopped moving. She went to Angel and took his hand.

"Trust me. I am just going to dinner with a co-worker. He knows I am taken. Angel I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that. I love you. Only you. You have to trust me," Buffy said as she looked him in the eye, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But it's not a big deal. Really. Now I am going to go and I will be back in a few hours I promise." Buffy then left Angel standing in the kitchen. _Nothing. Nothing is bull._ Angel grabbed his coat and headed downstairs. He waited for her to leave and then he got in his car and followed her. _This isn't over._

(Outside Tavern's restaurant)

Lucas was ready. He was now in human form and he had positioned a man in the bushes. He was sure the vampire would follow the Slayer. That was the point. This was going to be the best ending he could have imagined. He knew that this was going to be brilliant and he couldn't wait to get to it. In all good plays, the ending was the best part. With that Lucas stepped into the restaurant and waited for the game to begin.

(inside Tavern's)

Buffy arrived on time and she was stunning. _It's too bad I'm a demon or I would try to actually be with the girl. Oh, well all is fair in war._ Lucas smiled and waved her over. Buffy moved through the seats and sat down at the table that Lucas had picked. Lucas had made sure it was near a window so Angelus could seem them together.

"Hey there. You look great." He said as he smiled.

"So do you and thanks. So I know I just saw you earlier today but how are you?" Buffy asked as the waiter came over and she order a glass of red wine.

"I'm great now that you are here." Buffy was flattered but she knew this wouldn't be long. She had to get back to Angel before he did something stupid.

"Shall we order?" Buffy asked.

"I already did. I hope you don't mind. I have a knack for guessing what women eat." Lucas said as he opened the bottle of wine that had just arrived.

"No that's fine. Thank you." Buffy sat at the table thinking about how she had left Angel. Hurt, and alone. _Good one Buffy. You are back with the man of your dreams and you go on a dinner date with another man. What are you thinking? _Buffy smiled at Lucas and began to pray that the night would end.

(Outside Tavern's)

Angel had followed Buffy to this restaurant. He didn't go in, no he waited outside for them to come out. He could see her through the window with her "co-worker." She was smiling and laughing and having a good time. Angel's anger grew. All he had to do was wait. But while Angel waited so did another man. This other man waited just on the other side of the trees. Seeing the vampire the bounty hunter loaded his crossbow and targeted the vampire. This man waited too. Waited for the signal.

(Inside Tavern's)

Buffy was having a good time. She was. She was laughing at his jokes and smiling at the appropriate time. But she had the nagging feeling that something was off. As the waiter came round he split the red wine all over Lucas. Cursing, Lucas got up and headed for the bathroom. While Buffy waited she saw a small piece of something on the table. She picked it up thinking it was a piece of paper, when really it was a piece of skin. All though disgusted Buffy put the skin in a piece of cloth and put it in her purse just as Lucas got back. _Wesley was right. You are a demon. Now it is time to find out what kind._ Buffy then excused herself and headed to the ladies room. She pulled out her cell and dialed Wesley's number. After three rings, he picked up.

"Wes it's me. Look I found a piece of skin on the table that I think belongs to our demon friend." Buffy said as she pulled it out.

"What does it look like?" Wesley asked.

"It's red and scaly." Buffy said looking at it.

"Really? Hang on a minute." Wesley picked up the nearest book he had been looking at. Red and scaly. He had seen that before. It didn't take him long to identify the demon as Machea, a race of deadly bounty hunters. A look of worry struck Wesley as he read what they hunted. This race of demon took pleasure in hunting vampires.

"Buffy, you are having dinner with a Machea demon. They are vampire bounty hunters. I believe you were right when you thought the he was after Angel. You must kill this demon before he gets to Angel."

"Okay. You have to keep an eye on Angel for me. I left him at the penthouse. He knows I'm here Wes. He is not happy about it."

"I will keep him here. If that demon is the threat you must kill him so he doesn't get to Angel."

"I'm all over that. I just have to find a weapon. Am I going to need a big weapon?" Buffy asked.

Wesley looked at the picture, "yes, you are going to need a very big weapon." Buffy then hung up and headed back out for dinner. This wouldn't be such a bad night after all.

Part 5 

Wolfram & Hart)

Wesley left his office and headed to Angel's. However he was intercepted by Harmony.

"Angel's not there." She said.

"Where is he?" Wesley asked her.

"He went after Buffy. He is not happy." Harmony said as she went back to her desk.

"He did what!?!" Wesley cried.

"He went after Buffy. Why is that such a big deal? He should know if she is cheating on him."

"Harmony this is not good. I need you to get the tactical team mobilized now!" Wesley said as he headed out of the offices.

"Why!?!" She yelled back.

"Cause Angel is about to die if we don't." Worried for her boss, Harmony got on the phone and did as Wesley said. No one messed with her boss.

(Tavern's)

Buffy and Lucas had finished their dinner and were ready to leave. _Finally, now I can kill you._ Buffy thought. But what happened next blew her mind. She remembered seeing Angel; she remembered getting into a fight with the Machea demon. He was strong and big. She didn't have any kind of weapon and he out matched her. During the fight, the Machea demon had picked her up and thrown her against a stonewall. She didn't get up for a few minutes and Angel had then joined in on the fight. But when Buffy looked up and attempted to help it was too late……..

An arrow flew through the air……..

It landed on target………

She remembers the look of surprise on her lover's face……the demon got away. He ran in the direction the arrow had flown from. Another demon emerged and smiled. Buffy remembered hearing one of the demons laugh and the other saying, "Our job here is done." Buffy the looked to Angel, she could only see a blurred figure before she passed out from the pain……

The arrow was embedded in his chest and Angel fell…hard….

**To be continued**


	5. Chapter 5

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**  
Episode 1.5: Help Me  
Written by: The Main Slayer  
Original airdate: May 19, 2004  
Episode rating: K+

_The images were all so unclear. Buffy couldn't pick one from the other. She wasn't sure what was happening. She remembered her date; she remembered that her date was a demon; she remembered that she had to kill him; she remembered going outside; but she couldn't remember the rest. There was too much going on at once. An arrow; her lover falling to the ground._

"_Angel!" Buffy remembered screaming. What happened to him? Where was he? Why couldn't she find him? Buffy felt like she was trapped in a box and that she couldn't get out of it. She watched as Angel fell to the ground. She watched as her lover burst into ash…………_

Buffy sat upright in her bed. Well it wasn't her bed; it was a bed in the hospital at Wolfram & Hart. Buffy was sweating. How long had she been asleep? Why was she here? Where was Angel? Buffy attempted to get out of bed but she found that her wrist was strapped to the bed. Buffy attempted to break the restraints but soon found that they were magically bound. Buffy looked around the room. Her vision was blurry and she couldn't make out some of the images she saw. There was a table with flowers or what looked like flowers; there were pictures and a clock; there were machines making noises; and a person sitting beside her bed. When her vision focused she saw that Wesley was asleep by her bedside. Buffy tried to move again but winced in pain. Her body ached, her head was pounding, and she was unsure of what was going on. Buffy saw that Wesley was moving around. Groggily, she spoke.

"Wesley?" Wesley looked up at the young girl. The Slayer. He smiled at her.

"Hey there. How are you feeling?" He asked her as he sat up and hit a small red button on the wall.

"Not so good." Buffy said, as she was still frightened from her dream. Wesley got up and moved to her and helped her back into her bed.

"You should get some more rest. You don't look well. Buffy please go back to bed and lay down. It is for the best." Wesley said as he forced her to lay down.

"Why am I restrained?" Buffy asked as she reluctantly laid down.

"Well, ummmm, you were having some violent dreams and you wouldn't stay in bed. You had to be restrained. It was for your safety and the safety of the doctors." Wesley said as he sat down again. Buffy knew she was forgetting to ask him something. But she didn't know what.

"Wesley, what happened?" Buffy asked as her green eyes searched his for some answers. Wesley hesitated for only a minute before he explained to the Slayer what had happened that night.

"It turns out that the demon you went on a date with is a vampire hunter. He was also hired to kill Angel. They, yes there were two demons, were hired by, honestly we don't know whom, to get him out of the way for some reason that is at this time unknown to us. When you came out of the restaurant they two of you were attacked. One of the demons must have knocked you out because when we found you, you were unconscious. The demons were gone and Angel was left for dead."

Off that Buffy's eyes widened. Angel! What had happened to him? Where was he? Why wasn't he by her side right now?

"Where is he? What happened to him?" Buffy said as she attempted to sit up again. Wesley eased her back down.

"Buffy, he is not dead. Well, not dust dead. When he was shot, he was poisoned with some sort of toxin that has put him to sleep as far as we can tell. So far nothing has awoken him and nothing will unless we get the other demon. But he is okay. We were worried about you more than Angel." Wesley said as he smiled at her.

Buffy wasn't sure what he was talking about. She felt alright besides a case of complete and utter pain.

"Wesley, I'm okay really. But could you tell me what day it is? How long was I out for?" Buffy asked as she moved the bed so she could sit up. "You have been out for a least two weeks. The doctors were not sure if you would make it." Wesley said as she sat down next to her.

"Great. Well I knew I wasn't invincible. So what is our status on finding the demon to save Angel?" Buffy said. Wesley wasn't sure what to do. He knew that she would want to help catch the demon but he didn't want her to risk herself again.

"We are on it. So far nothing. But you don't need to worry about that Buffy. Just get better." He replied as he got up to let her get some rest.

"Wesley, are you kidding me? There is no way that I am just going to sit here while Angel is in trouble. I have to help him and you know you can't stop me." Buffy said as she attempted to get up again. Wesley laughed.

"How did I know you were going to say that," He moved towards her and undid the restraint, "Buffy you do need to get rest though. Leave the killing and magic's to us. Just be there for moral support, research, and for Angel." Wesley said as he watched her get up.

"One more thing Wes." Buffy said.

"Yes, what is it?" Wesley asked.

"I need to see Angel. I need to see him now." Buffy said. Wesley knew that she was going to want to see him. He smiled again and helped her into the wheelchair provided. He rolled her down the hall and took her to where Angel was being kept.

(Angel's hospital room)

_Angel stood in a room. It was a living room and he seemed oddly at home in it. He didn't recognize anything in the room but for some reason he felt home. He slowly walked to the kitchen to find a teenage girl sitting at the table with what looked like a new baby. The young girl smiled at him and waved. She was trying to talk but Angel couldn't make out the words. He smiled back and moved on. He walked up a set of stairs and passed what looked like two teenage girls rooms. He looked in one. A young girl about 15 was sitting on her bed talking on the phone. She looked at him, made a face, got up and shut the door on him. Unnerved, Angel moved on. He walked passed what was the baby's room and then stopped at the door right beside it. He put his hand out and opened the door. There was a woman there. She was in bed sleeping. He couldn't make out her face. The room was dark he attempted to move into the room when he felt it. A sharp pain in his chest. He looked down and saw the arrow………_

Angel slept. As Buffy was wheeled into the room she saw that he had a awkward look on his face. She wondered what he was dreaming about. What he saw when he shut his eyes. Wesley left Buffy by his side and left them alone. Buffy looked at her lover. He looked terrible. His face was beaten and his breathing, what would be known as breathing for a vampire, was shallow and harsh. He moaned in his sleep. Wesley had told Buffy that Angel was trapped in some sort of dream world. That he would be in this dream world until it killed him. Tears pooled in Buffy's eyes as she looked at him. Then they fell. The tears streamed down her face as she thought of the pain that he was in. She had caused that pain and she had to fix it. Buffy attempted to get up on the bed but couldn't get herself out of the chair. Giving up, Buffy took Angel's hand and began to talk.

"Angel…….Angel? Can you hear me?" Buffy asked. There was no response. Buffy's eyes welled again. His face was flawless as he slept. She just stared at him for a while until she decided to speak again.

"I am going to get them. They are going to pay for what they have done to you. Please Angel, if you can hear me, just hold on a little longer. We are going to find a way to get you back. You have to come back to me. I can't do this without you. Not again. Don't leave me again. You promised me that. You have to come back. I swear to you, those demons are goners. They will not live to see another day. I love you, Angel. And not even death can take that from you and me. I will get you back." Buffy then kissed his hand and turn the wheelchair around. She pushed herself up out of the chair and walked towards the door. The rage coursed through her body as she stood. She was going to get those demons if it was the last thing she did. Buffy left the room and headed back to hers. She got dressed and hit a doctor on the way out. He was trying to stop her from leaving and nothing would get in her way. Not even a doctor.

(Sunny's)

Sunny was very very happy. Angelus was finally out of the way. The Machea demon's had done it. He was very pleased and so was his boss. The two demons were on the couch talking about the kill. All though he was not dead yet, he would be. As Sunny thought about the prospect of Angel dead, the phone went off. Sunny answered it.

"Hello?" he said into the phone.

"She is not dead." The voice said.

"Boss what are you talking about? What do you mean she? The target was the vampire, not the Slayer." Sunny said his curiosity peeked.

"I want her dead. She is now a liability. She will come for them. I can't have her messing things up. I want that girl dead by sun up. You make it happen or you will be watching the sun rise." The phone then went dead. Sunny was slightly enraged. He put the phone down and went to the demons.

"Change in plans boys. We have another target." He said to them.

"Who?" They asked in unison.

"The Slayer." Sunny said with a smile. _This is going to be fun._

(Wesley's office)

They had been at the research for hours. There seemed to be no end and no beginning. They knew that they couldn't cure Angel without the demons and at the moment they were demonless. Wesley rubbed his eyes as he continued to looked at his book. The other team players were in the room as well. They had to find the demon or Angel would never wake up. Wesley was about to give up for the day when Buffy walked into the room.

"Buffy. You should be in bed. What are you doing?" He asked as he cleared a chair for her.

"I can't Wes. I have to help. I have to save him. He would do the same for me and you know it." Buffy said as she sat down. Wesley half expected it from her.

"Alright. But you are not to go after the demon on your own. The tactical team will take care of that. Buffy you are in no condition to go out and fight a demon that is twice the size of you. I don't care what kind of evil you have fought before, you are no where near top Slayer strength." Wesley said with concern.

"Give me time, and I will be." Buffy said. Wesley sighed.

"Alright. Alright. There is no way to change your mind then you can help." Wesley went back to his desk and sat down.

"Where are we?" Buffy asked.

"Nowhere. I have no clue where the demons will be. None at all. We have been at this for hours and we are nowhere. We are Wolfram & Hart for Christ sake and we can't find two demons!" Wesley said enraged with himself for not finding the answers. Buffy looked at the Watcher and smiled.

"Wes, we are going to figure this out and get him back. I know it. We have to because I can't live without him. I refuse to. Not after everything we have been through. It is not happening. We will find the demons. And we will make their death the most painful thing they have ever felt. No one messes with Angel and gets away with it. That is what friends are for. So lets just keep going. Something has to turn up soon." Buffy said as she picked up a book and began looking through it. With some motivation from the Slayer, Wesley did the same. They would find a cure if it killed them.

(Angel's hospital room)

_The arrow seemed to be embedded in his chest but he couldn't touch it. His hand passed right thought it. But he was fine. The momentary pain was gone and he seemed to be fine. The woman in the bed stirred. She was waking up. Angel tried to leave but he was stuck in place. She then sat up and stretched her arms above her head. She looked right at him. Her face had a look of shock on it. Angel tried to move again but he still couldn't. She got up out of the bed and walked towards him. Angel tried to focus on her face but couldn't. It was like her face was forbidden from him. He couldn't make out her features. She walked towards him and put her small hand on the arrow. She pulled……_

In his bed, Angel flinched. He then settled back down and continued to sleep. The wound in his chest was not healing. And it wouldn't until the cure was administered. He continued to bleed from the hole that was left. There was blood hooked to every major artery in order to help him stay alive. If Angel were to lose all his blood, the vampire would be no more. But there was no way for the doctors to stop the bleeding. Angel needed constant blood bag changes or he would not survive the ordeal. Angel flinched again. His dreams becoming more and more lifelike.

(Outside Wolfram & Hart)

The two Machea demons watched as the Slayer and the ex-Watcher desperately tried to find a way to save their friend. There was no way. Not without the blood of the demon. The two demons laughed. All they had to do was kill the Slayer and they would get paid and they would be out of L.A. forever. This was a job to them. Another assassination. They continued to watch the girl and smiled as she moved with expression of pain on her face. All they had to do was get her out of the building. Then she would be theirs.

(Sunny's)

This was insane. Sunny may have been a vampire, but the killing of a Slayer was not one of his favourite past times. He had been up against one Slayer before and she had nearly killed him. But Sunny also didn't want to be on his boss's bad side. His boss, whom he called the Voice cause he had never met him before, was going to take over the world. Or L.A. at least and he didn't want to be on the wrong side of him. Sunny finished the drink that he had in his hand and dialed the number to Wolfram & Hart. All he had to do was get the Slayer to the demons and they would do the rest. He would have no part in it. Sunny slightly laughed at the thought of Angel in pain. He waited until the secretly picked up.

"Wolfram & Hart. How may I direct your call?"

"Wesley Price's office please." This was it. The Slayer would soon be dead and the vampire would suffer beyond reason. Sunny was suddenly very very happy.

(Wesley's office)

"Wes?" Harmony's voice rang over the intercom.

"Yes Harmony." Wesley replied.

"There is a call for you on line one." She said as she transferred the call.

"Thank you," Wesley said as he picked up the line, "Wesley here. How may I help you?"

"Give me the Slayer." Was all the man said.

"Who is this?" Wesley question.

"Give me the Slayer." The man said again. Reluctantly Wesley handed the phone over to Buffy.

"Hello?" Buffy said into the receiver.

"You want to save your lover?"

"Who is this?" Buffy asked fully alert.

"Answer the question: Do you want to save your lover?" the man repeated.

"Yes."

"Then listen to me. The demons you seek are outside Wolfram & Hart as we speak. If you wish for Angel to live you will go outside on your own. No one else do you understand me. By now I'm sure Angel is in such a state that he cannot begin to understand where the real world and his dream world connect. If you ever want him to wake up, you will go outside." That was it. The phone went dead. Buffy looked at Wesley.

"What did he say?" Wesley asked.

"He said the only way to save Angel was to go outside. Along. The demons are out there." Buffy said as she put the phone down.

"Let me get the team……." Wesley began.

"No. I am going alone." Buffy said.

"You are in no condition to do that. Buffy you need help." Wesley said to her.

"No Wes. I need Angel. I'm going." Buffy said as she got up and headed to Angel's office. She took the biggest weapons he could find off his wall. This was going to be the end of the demons. One way or another.

"You just have the cure ready. That is your job now. Let me handle the death part." Buffy said as she headed towards the entrance. She was going to get Angel back even if it killed her.

(Angel's hospital room)

_The arrow slid out with ease. Angel looked down at the hole in his chest. He then saw it heal before his eyes. He looked up and saw that the woman was no longer just a figure. But she was everything he ever wanted._

"_Buffy." Angel said with a smile._

"_Hello. What are you doing with an arrow in you?" She asked as she led him into the room._

"_I don't know. I must have been in a fight." Angel replied as he watched her leave for the bathroom. While he was alone in the room he looked at the pictures. Pictures of a happy family. His family. He picked up a family photo of himself and Buffy along with three children. Two girls and a baby boy. Angel smiled as he put the photo down. He then picked up another one. It was a picture of their wedding. Buffy looked beautiful. Angel couldn't believe his eyes. This was his home. This was his family. His life. He turned back to find Buffy in front of him. He looked at her with concern._

"_This…………I don't understand. I don't belong here." Angel said as he sat down._

"_What are you talking about? Of course you belong here. This is your home. No be quiet while I fix this." Buffy said as she took his shirt off. As Buffy bandaged his, to him, non-existent wound he found himself enjoying the task. Her hands on his chest. Angel wasn't sure how it was possible but he had a family. He was married and had an actual family. Angel looked into Buffy's eyes and tried to see if there was any reason to believe this wasn't real._

"_Are you real?" He asked. Buffy laughed._

"_What do you think?" She said to him as she straddled his lap. Angel put his hands on her back and pulled her too him._

"_This is very real." He replied as he pulled her towards him. What seem like hours Angel experienced the most happiness he ever felt. Angel held his wife and closed his eyes. He went to sleep with a smile on his face and for the first time in a long time Angel felt free._

The doctors ran around Angel's bed as they tried desperately to save him. He was slipping. Whatever he was seeing was pulling him away from their world. If they didn't administer the cure soon, Angel would be lost in his dream state forever.

(Outside Wolfram & Hart)

Buffy walked along the path outside the building. She had no idea where the demons would be hiding but she had to find them. Angel's life depended on it. Buffy continued to move when she heard a twig snap. She whirled around to find nothing. Just as she was about to turn around something hit her from behind. Buffy fell to the ground and winced in pain. She looked up to find two large demons standing over her.

"This is going to be fun isn't it bro?" One of the demons said.

"You know it is. Time to dance Slayer." The other replied and lunged at her.

(Angel's hospital room)

_The bedroom door to Angel and Buffy's room burst open. One of the girls came flying into the room scream Angel's name. Angel woke with a start and sat up._

"_What is it?" He asked._

"_Madison is being the meanest sister ever. She took my cell phone! Dad makes her give it back!" The girl yelled. Angel wasn't sure what to do. Buffy woke beside him and looked at the girl._

"_Carlee, what are you talking about?" She said as she picked up Angel's shirt from the floor._

"_Madison took my phone. She said that I was on it long enough and that I should get off. She can't do that. It is my phone. Dad make her give it back!" Carlee screamed again. Just then Madison entered the room._

"_I did not!" She said back. Angel saw that she was holding the baby._

"_Did so!" Carlee screamed back._

"_Did not!"_

"_Did so!"_

"_Did not!" Madison yelled at her sister. Just then the baby began to cry. Buffy got out of the bed and took her son._

"_That is enough both of you to your rooms. Now." Buffy said to them as she took the baby from his sister. Reluctantly the girls left. Buffy sat down on the bed and tried to calm the baby. But he wouldn't be quiet. Angel looked at Buffy and the little boy._

"_Give him here." Angel said. Buffy handed the baby over to Angel and headed out of the room to deal with the girls. Angel rocked the little boy in his arms and smiled down at him. Instantly the baby began to calm. Angel wasn't sure how it was possible, but he knew the baby's name. He felt like he had only been there for one day but this was his life now. He had to know everything._

_"That's right William. It's okay. I'm sure they didn't mean it. Go to sleep my son." Angel said as the baby's eyes closed. Angel rocked the baby and thought of Connor. He smiled. This was his second chance and it had been given to him and he never wanted to leave._

The doctors and began to seal the wound that looked like a crater on Angel's chest. The longer he was in his dream state the bigger the wound got. Angel wasn't going to make it. One of the doctors phone Wesley and told him what was happening. He said that if they didn't get the cure within the next few hours they might was well stake their boss. He really wasn't going to make it; not this time.

(Outside Wolfram & Hart)

Buffy was having a hard time dealing with two demons at once. Especially when she wasn't at top strength. She was dogging and ducking and she still couldn't beat them. She needed help. She need serious help. Buffy was now hiding in a bush trying to get away from the demons and stay alive as long as she could. The pain that was surging through her body was almost more than she could take. Buffy looked up to the sky and closed her eyes. _Angel if you can here me please help me. I need your strength and I need it now. Please lover, help me._

(Angel's hospital room)

_Angel heard a voice as he rocked his child. He couldn't tell where it was coming from. Angel got up and walked the baby to his room. He then walked passed Buffy and the girls as they talked. He went down the stars and headed outside. He knew he had heard a voice but where did it come from. He saw there was a large pool in the backyard. He walked towards it and looked in. For an instant Angel saw Buffy in the water. But is wasn't the Buffy upstairs; this one was fighting for her life. That was when the world around him began to shimmer. None of this was real. None of it. He could see a hospital room and doctors rushing around a bed. He saw a man in the bed. He saw himself in the bed. Angel was dreaming. This was all a dream and the real Buffy was in trouble. But Angel had no idea how to get out of there to help her. He thought of Buffy. He thought so hard he thought his head was going to explode. He had to get out of here. He had to. Suddenly Angel was pushed into the pool. A hand shot out and pushed his head under. Angel didn't know what was going on. He thrashed around in the water as he tried to break free, but he couldn't. He continued to think of Buffy. Continued to think of giving her his strength. Angel had to get free but he felt himself slipping. He couldn't hold on any longer._

(Outside Wolfram & Hart)

Suddenly Buffy felt a serge of energy go thought her. _Angel._ She thought. With this new power coursing through her Buffy sprang from the bushes and jumped on the first demon. Without hesitation she snapped his neck. Buffy then went after the second one. She threw one or two low jabs to his gut, which caused the demon to stumble. She laid a roundhouse kick to his face, which sent him across the street. Pleased with herself, Buffy headed after the demon again.

(in the bushes where Buffy was hiding)

Sunny watched as the Slayer had made quick work of the first demon. He had known this was a bad idea. He knew the Slayer would win. Sunny stood the minute the Slayer had left the bushes. He walked back to his car and got in. He slammed his head on the steering wheel. His boss would not be happy about this. Angel was going to live. The Slayer would make sure of that. Sunny started the car and began to think of another way to kill the vampire and his Slayer bitch. He was going to get in a lot of trouble. Suddenly Sunny feared for his life. His boss wasn't kidding when he said he would kill him. However, Sunny felt like that wouldn't happen. _This isn't over bitch. I will make sure of that._ Sunny thought as he left the scene. The last image he saw was the Slayer tearing the head of the Machea demon.

(Wesley's office)

Wesley had been preparing the cure while he waited for word on Buffy. The doctors had told him that Angel wasn't going to make it if they didn't get the cure to him soon. Wesley was just about done when the Slayer burst into his office with the head of one of the demons. Wesley smiled. Buffy handed Wesley the head and smiled back. _Hang on Angel. We're coming._ Wesley thought. After adding the rest of the demons blood to the mixture, Wesley and Buffy headed to Angel's hospital. Hoping that they were not too late.

(Angel's hospital room)

The doctors didn't know what to do. Their boss was dying and they had no way to stop it. They were about to leave the room when Wesley and the Slayer walked into the room. Wesley held a small bowl in his hand as he walked towards the bed.

"How is he?" He asked.

"Not good. He needs help now." One of the doctors replied.

"That is what we are here for." Wesley said as he walked to the bed. It only took Wesley a matter of minutes to perform the ritual and administer the cure. When he was done, Wesley looked about Buffy who smiled.

"How long with it take?" Buffy asked as she sat down next to Angel and took his hand.

"Too soon to tell. Give it time." Wesley said as he urged the doctors out of the room. Wesley left the Slayer with her lover. Buffy looked at Angel and smiled. She stood up and kissed him on the lips.

"Thank you." Was all she said. She sat back down and waited.

(5 days later - Angel's hospital room)

Buffy was asleep by Angel's bed. He was still not awake. The doctors were pleased though. His wound was finally healing. Angel no longer need the extra blood bags attached to his body. He was going to be okay. Angel stirred in his bed. Slowly he opened his eyes. He was really groggy. He brought his hand to his head and rubbed his eyes. What had happened to him? Where the hell was he? Angel tried to get up and saw a sleeping Buffy beside him. Angel smiled as he attempted to wake her. Buffy looked up suddenly from the movements of Angel's hand. Buffy looked up at him with her green eyes and smiled.

"Angel!" She cried as she threw her arms around his neck. Angel made a small plea for freedom and Buffy released him.

"Hey." Was all he said.

"Are you okay? How are you feeling?" Buffy asked him. Angel looked at her.

"I'm alright I guess. I feel like I have been hit in the head with a two by four. But other than that, I'm good." Angel said as he held her hand tightly. Buffy smiled as tears welled in her eyes.

"I'm so glad you are okay. I, we, didn't think you were going to make it." Buffy said.

"Well I did. And it is all thanks to you." Angel said with a smile.

"Yeah. Are you sure you are okay?" Buffy asked him as she sat beside him. Angel kissed her. He felt like he hadn't kissed her in months. When he broke the kiss his thoughts flashed back to what he had seen in his dreams. Those would become real. One day.

"Yeah. I'm perfect now that you are here. I love you Buffy." Angel said.

"I love you." Buffy replied as she laid in Angel's arms. Angel closed his eyes as he rested his head on hers. This was okay for now. He could live with this. One final thought crossed his mind.

"What happened Buffy?" Angel asked.

"I'll explain it all later. Promise." Buffy replied. That was good enough for him. They had all the time in the world. Because Angel knew the would be together, forever.


	6. Chapter 6

**Immortal: the Virtual Series****  
Episode 1.6: Crawling  
Written by: Tania**  
Original airdate: June 2, 2004  
Episode rating: K+

**Bus Station**

Black leather boots step off the bus. The girls rave hair blew in the dark night. A backpack was slung on her back over her leather jacket. She looked around at the buildings with a smile. She headed off into the night to go visit a few friends.

**Angel's Office**

Angel sat at his desk talking on the phone to Wesley. "Yes, I understand Wes, but we can't go around helping clients who eat children." Angel rubbed his head.

"Maybe you should tell Wes, you'll have a Slayer take care of him." The vampire looked up at the person who was talking.

"Faith." Angel smiled at the dark haired slayer.

"Hey vamp boy, where's B?"

"Angel, who are you talking too?" Wesley yelled into the phone.

"I'll handle the client Wes. Got to go." Angel hung up. Faith put her bag down sitting on one of the couches in Angel's office. "Buffy's at home, I was just finishing up. What are you doing here?" Faith looked at Angel with sad eyes.

**Penthouse**

Buffy sat on the couch watching TV. "Buffy?" Angel called inside.

"In the living room." Buffy turned her head as Angel came in the room.

"We have a visitor." He had a solemn look.

"Hey B." Buffy's mouth dropped.

"Faith!" The blonde slayer jumped up and hugged the brunette.

"Glad to see me." Faith laughed looking at Angel with another look shaking her head.

"Well, I'll let you two talk." Angel put on a smile as Buffy let go of Faith.

"I'll get the coffee." Buffy walked into the kitchen followed by Faith.

Angel went into the bedroom , picked up the phone, and dialed a number. "Hey Gunn, it's Angel, I need you to check something out for me."

"So, how Robin?" Buffy asked as Faith sat down at the table.

"Good." Faith sighed. "How about you and Angel?"

"Well, someone's trying to kill him but what's new right?" She poured the coffee into mugs.

"Really? Who is it?"

"We don't know." She sat down handing Faith a mug.

"Well, I might have to help with that while I'm here. " Faith took a drink. "What else is new?"

"I got a job." Buffy nodded.

"As what?"

"A guidance counselor."

"Yeah, Robin said something about have to sending about that."

Faith and Buffy talked into the night sharing news, slaying injuries, and new people.

**Wolfram & Hart**

"Angel, I have the info you wanted." Gunn laid a file on his desk.

"Thanks, no one knows about this right?" Angel flipped through the file then looked up at Gunn.

"Yeah." Gunn looked at the picture in a file. "So, Faith's here again?"

"Yes, and I'm right behind you G." Gunn and Angel looked at Faith with a smile.

"I thought you were going to stay at the penthouse." Angel closed the file.

"I got bored." Faith shrugged.

"Faith." Wesley came up behind her.

"Hey Wes."

"Angel, Buffy's on line one." Harmony said into the speaker.

"Thank you Harmony." Angel picked up the phone. "Hey Buffy." Angel nodded at Gunn and Wesley who both left the room.

"Hey, just called to make sure everything's ok." Buffy spun in her chair.

"Everything's fine."

"Angel, did you want me to leave with them?" Faith asked bored.

"Who's that?" Buffy questioned.

"It's Faith." Angel then addressed Faith. "Yeah, I'm sure Gunn or Wesley will be happy to show you around."

"K, I'll be back around lunch time." Faith walked out of the room.

"Sorry Buffy, go ahead."

"Actually I better go, I have a student coming in." Buffy hung up.

"Love you too." Angel shook his head hanging up. He looked back at the file of Julio Garca, a 20-year-old Mexican Vampire. _Julio has assassinated 5 different Slayers, he runs with a gang called LP. His newest assignment Faith. _Angel closed the file. I now know who's after her but why?

"Angel, you're 10 o'clock meeting is here." Harmony broke Angel out of his thinking state.

"Send them in." Angel put the file under some others.

**Wesley's Office**

"I see you're hitting it big Wes more books then Giles." Faith sat in a chair in Wesley's office.

"Yes, Faith." Wes typed on his computer.

"Hey where is Fred anyway?" Faith showed Wesley the picture of Fred that she had pulled off his desk.

Wesley rubbed between his eyes. "Faith, I have a lot of work right now..." Faith put the picture back.

"Ok, Wes I'll go see someone else." She stood up walking out of the office.

**Emmerson High- Buffy's Office**

Buffy wasn't concentrating anything Alex...Alvin...Allen was saying. Faith and Angel where spending lunch together. Whose knows next they could be spending the night together. No Buffy, he loves you.

"Ms. Summers?" Allen waved his hand in front of her face.

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you should be the one seeing a counselor." He stood up. "My time is up." He left her office.

Buffy sighed turning to her desk, writing down some notes about Allen. He was one of the few kids who didn't act like a snob but he always cracked jokes especially about his own life.

"Ms. Summers?" A girl poked her head in the room.

"Hey Jena, come in." Buffy smiled.

"I just have something to give you real quick that I found in my locker." The girl handed Buffy a piece of paper then left.

_**SLAYERS NEED TO DIE! **_was written on each line. "Jena!" Buffy stood up quickly and ran out of her office.

"Yes?"

"How'd you know to give it to me?" She pulled the girl aside.

"He said so."

"Who did?"

"My uncle Julio he called me as I opened my locker."

**Angel's Office**

"So Buffy got a paper from Julio who's a students uncle?" Faith was drinking some soda and eating popcorn.

"Yeah, he's a Slayer assassin someone must of paid him to take you out. I just don't know why?" Angel took a drink out of his mug.

"Angel, this just got in from one of other offices." Gunn walked in and handed a paper to Angel.

"Looks like you're no the only slayer on the list." Angel looked at Faith.

"B."

"Yeah, Buffy."

**Teacher Lounge**

"Buffy, your boyfriend's on the phone for you he said it's an emergency." A elder lady came up to Buffy who was eating a sandwich.

"Thank you." Buffy took her lunch back to her office. "Angel?" Buffy picked up the phone.

"Buffy, you're on the list."

"What list?"

"Julio's list."

"Jena's uncle?"

"Yes, he's a slayer assassin, an immortal and his targets are Faith & you."

"Not the greatest thing right B?"

"Faith's with you?"

"Yes, why?"

"Just making sure." Buffy choked back her anger. "I'll see you at home."

"Be careful." Angel said before he heard the click on Buffy's phone.

**Penthouse**

Faith and Angel sat at the kitchen table waiting for Buffy. "Do you think she's ok?" Angel asked worried.

"She's fine don't worry so much soul boy."

Buffy walked inside smiling at Angel then she saw Faith and her face tightened. "Faith, you're still here?"

"Yeah, just making sure Angel doesn't have a heart attack." Faith shrugged.

"Buffy, what's wrong?"

"Her!" Buffy set her bag down. "Faith and you are not the greatest two to be together!"

"Buffy, I love you and you know that. I'm just helping Faith, Robin was put in the hospital a couple of weeks ago because of the assassin."

"I want this guy dead, he almost killed Robin." Faith stood up. "I'm not trying to steal Angel." Faith touched Angel's shoulder. "I wouldn't do that to one of my only friends."

"I'm sorry, it's just a lot of the past came back." Buffy walked over to them both hugging them.

Lights went out. "Get down." Angel pulled the girls down as a machine gun started going off. "Go! Go! Get to the bedroom." Buffy grabbed the back of Angel's head kissing him.

"Be careful."

"You too."

"Let's go B!" Faith pulled and the two slayers ran into the bedroom shutting the door.

Angel stood up and a man kicked in the door. "Where are the slayers?"

Angel vamped. "You'll never know." He launched himself at Julio. "Julio Garca, meet my associates." Angel pulled the gun away standing up.

The tactical team all aimed down at Julio. "We'll take it from here Mr. Angel." The leader nodded.

"Thank you." Angel turned back to human. "Buffy, Faith you can come out!" The two slayers walked out. "Faith, you're planned worked." Angel smiled at Faith.

"I knew it would." She looked at Angel who pulled Buffy close to him. "I better go, I need to go see Robin."

"Come back Faith, you're welcome here." Buffy hesitated a little.

"I crawl under your skin don't I?" Faith smirked.

"Just a little."


	7. Chapter 7

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**

Episode 1.7: Haunted

Written by Anne  
Original airdate: June 30, 2004  
Episode rating: K+

-Part 1-

"Morning, Wes," Buffy yawned as she entered Wesley's office.

"Good morning, Buffy," Wesley looked up from his work and smiled at her, "Long night?"

Buffy nodded her head, "You need to get a good amount of sleep if you want to keep your slaying in top condition."

"I know, Wes," Buffy yawned again, "but since I'm not the only Slayer anymore…"

"The world still needs you and Angel," Wes explained to her, "You are the strongest and most experienced of the Slayers. You know the ropes."

"It's not like I have to give them a crash course in slaying." Buffy said with some sarcasm in her voice, "Sorry, Wes. I'm just not fully up yet. Give me another five hours or so," Buffy walked out of the office beginning to drag her feet on the floor.

"I hope in another five hours," Wesley mumbled to himself, "that you'll be awake because Angel could be a human again." He leafed through one spell book before quickly dodging to another.

--

"There you are!" Angel got up from his desk and went over to kiss Buffy, "I was about to page Harmony for a search party to look for you."

"You were that worried?" Buffy laughed, "You know I wouldn't leave without telling you or the others."

"When I turned over this morning and found my bed empty except for me," Angel embraced her, "I got worried."

"I got up for an early morning walk," Buffy leaned in against him, "and now I wanna go back to bed." She moved out of his embrace and dragged herself over to the elevator.

"Buffy," Angel began to say, but paused and then said, "When do you want a wake up call?"

"In about five hours," Buffy grumbled and entered the now-open elevator.

"Angelcakes," Lorne entered the office as the elevator doors closed, "I have a favor to ask. I have a few celebrities coming in later, so I need you to keep any weird things from happening to them."

"Lorne," Angel sighed, "The moment they stepped into this building something weird has happened to them…Lorne, do you feel…off?"

"No, Angelcakes, why?" Lorne inquired.

"I feel like something big is going to happen today," Angel said, "I have this feeling in my gut-"

"I think that's pretty doubtful," Lorne put his hand on Angel's shoulder, "The world is just going to go around in its little circle and give us its evils to handle."

- (about five hours later)-

Wesley had found all the books he needed to complete the ritual, "Now all I need is a witness." He thought and then pressed the call button on his phone, "Harmony, find Fred…or Illyria, whichever one you see first and send them in."

"You got it," Harmony's voice came over the speakerphone. Fred instantly stepped into the room. "You called?"

"Yes," Wesley smiled up at her, "I need you to help me."

"With what?" Fred asked.

"I'm going to perform a spell," Wesley explained to her, "That will erase Angel's past as Angelus and make him human again."

"Wow," Fred got very excited, "Sounds like work, but why do you need me?"

"I need you to help me with the chanting and materials," Wesley said, handing Fred an old candlestick. "Take this and start walking around the room with it."

"OK," Fred listened and began walking around.

Wesley picked up some scrolls off his desk and started chanting, "Refero quis quondam eram. Deleo res of everto. Refero quis eram pessum ire. Refero quis quondam eram. Deleo res of everto. Refero quis eram pessum ire." Which is, roughly translated into English, 'Bring back what once was. Erase the deeds of the demon. Bring back what was destroyed.' Suddenly a bright light flashed through Wesley's office.

-(at the same time in Angel's office)-

"I was thinking red and blue," Angel was saying to Buffy when he suddenly felt a jolt in his chest and grabbed it.

"Angel, what's wrong?" Buffy immediately got worried. Angel grunted in response, "Angel?" Whatever was in Angel suddenly passed and he suddenly sat straight up again. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know what that was." Angel said wondrously.

"You looked like you were about to have a heart attack," Buffy came over and sat on his lap, and Angel stared at her, "Except for the fact that vampires can't have heart attacks."

-(Wesley's office)-

"Do you think it worked?" Fred whispered as smoke from her now unlit candle wavered in the air then disappeared.

"I don't know," Wesley looked at her with a blank stare, "We could go see..." They were about to rush out the door when three people dropped from mid-air in front of them. The man, who was dressed in 18th-century fashion, stood up first and brushed himself off. His eyes widened as he looked around at his surroundings, "Oh, God." Wesley breathed.

"Where are we?" the short man said with an Irish accent. The older woman, who was many inches taller than him stood up and clung to his arm.

"Sir?"

"English pig!" The man spat at Wesley and put his arms out to protect the woman and the child who had just gotten up. "Stay away from us."

"I intend you no harm, sir, to you or your family," Wesley said calmly, slowly approaching him.

"What is this place?" The girl said shakily, also with an Irish accent, "Father, where's Liam?"

"You're in Los Angeles," Fred said.

"And you..." The man pointed to Fred, "What kind of apparel is that?"

Fred looked at her simple suit that consisted of a blazer, a blouse, and a skirt, "It's what we wear to work everyday, sir."

"Keiran," The woman quietly spoke, "What's happening?"

"And Liam!" The man suddenly shouted, ignoring the woman's question, "Where's Liam? What have you English bastards done with him?"

"Liam," Wesley pondered for a second until he remembered and looked at Fred, "Liam. My God, Fred this is Angel's family."

"What? How is that possible?" Fred asked while Wesley went over to his desk and looked at the scrolls again.

"Oh, God," Wesley sucked in his breath, "We did the spell incorrectly."

"What in God's name are you talking about?" Keiran sputtered, "Come on, we're leavin'" He was about to open the door when the doorknob turned.

"Wesley," Angel entered the room while reading a file, "I need you to..."

"Liam!" Kathy yelled and rushed over and hugged her older brother.

"Kathy?" Angel unlatched her from him, "What...how..."

"Liam," His mother started praising towards the heavens, "Thank God you're alright."

"Mom," Angel had tears in his eyes at this point, "Dad."

-Part 2-

"Who did this?" Angel choked, "How is this possible?"

"Liam? What have they done to you? Look at you!" Keiran shouted.

"I attempted...erm...something," Wesley said, not wanting to go into the finer details, "And I guess it went wrong."

"And my family's here, Wesley?" Angel said angrily.

"Liam, don't be mad," Kathy tugged on his arm gently, "We're happy to see you. Aren't you happy to see us?"

"Kathy," Angel knelt down to be level with her, "Oh, Kathy." He embraced and tear began to flow. Suddenly, Buffy was thrown through the doors against the desk with a demon violently fighting her. "Wesley! Fred!" Angel yelled to them before whisking Kathy out of the line of fire. Wesley and Fred ushered a shocked Keiran and Catriana against the other side. Once Kathy was out of the way, Angel immediately grabbed a hold of the demon Buffy was fighting and tossed it against the necro-tempered glass. Luckily for him, the window didn't shatter. The demon let out a sharp wail before launching itself onto Buffy.

"Aim," Buffy tried to tell Angel in between punches and kicks, "for its neck!" Angel took one of the swords in Wesley's office off the wall and stabbed it through the center of the demon's neck, missing Buffy by a few inches. "Ugh." Buffy looked at her now ripped shirt.

"What was that?" Kathy shivered.

"Who are they?" Buffy glanced at Angel's family and then back at Angel for an answer.

"Buffy," Angel took in a great deep breath, "I'd like you to meet my family. This is my father, Keiran, my mother, Catriana, and my sister, Kathy."

"It's nice to meet you," Buffy flashed a smile at them.

"You have an odd accent," Keiran glared at her.

"Does he know we're in the year 2004?" Buffy whispered to Angel.

"Father -"

"And why do you talk the same way?" Keiran said.

"Father," Angel said, "You're not in Ireland anymore."

"Don't you think I know that, you stupid boy?" Keiran yelled. Angel flinched at his father's words.

"Don't act like it's his fault, sir," Buffy yelled back, "He didn't do anything."

"And you!" Keiran growled, "Where did you pick up this one up Liam? At another tavern?" That sent Angel over the edge. He slammed his father against the wall.

"Don't you dare even think that Buffy's a whore." Angel gritted.

"Liam!" Kathy cried, "Father! Stop it!"

"Angel," Buffy went over and pulled him back, "Don't."

"I think it'd be best if we left," Wesley said nervously, grabbing Fred and taking her out of the room with him.

"Son, just explain to us where we are," Catriana said.

"Mother, Father," Angel breathed in, "Kathy, you're in Los Angeles. That's in California. In the United States of America. It's the year 2004."

"2004?" Kathy gasped.

"Look you may not like it here," Buffy explained, "But you're going to have to get used to it until we find a way to send you back home."

"No!" Angel rasped, "Don't...send them back."

"Why, Angel? They've been taken from their home -"

"Because of Angelus..."

"You mean he -"Angel nodded his head. "Oh, God." Buffy shuddered.

"Whom are you two rattlin' on about?" Keiran said.

"No one who's your concern, Dad," Angel said.

"I could call Dawn," Buffy said, "She's about Kathy's age."

"Do that," Angel nodded, "She'll need a friend." Angel turned to his family, "You'll stay with us. We have apartments all over the building." Angel explained as Buffy left to call Dawn. "You'll be quite comfortable."

"Liam," Keiran stopped Angel, "This is a strange land to us. We can't just stay here."

"Dad, it looks likes you're going to have to," Angel told him, "I'll show you to your room." Angel led them out of the room into the hallway.

"Liam, this is amazing!" Kathy squealed.

"'Ey, man," Gunn walked up to them, "So I was told we had visitors." Gunn looked at Angel's family, "Aren't' ya gonna introduce me?"

"Oh, right," Angel said and turned to his family, "Gunn, this is my family, my mom, Catriana, my father, Keiran, and my little sister Kathy." Gunn gave a small, but loving, smile to Kathy, being reminded of his late sister, Elana.

"Pleasure," he stuck his hand out for them to shake.

"A slave, Liam?" Catriana questioned as Keiran shook Gunn's hand cautiously.

"Things have changed," Angel explained, "A lot. Everyone here is free, no matter what they look like. We have electricity, running water, air conditioners..."

"What?" Kathy said, having a confused look upon her face.

"I'm going to have to start from the beginning aren't I?" Angel had a pained expression on his face.

"You mean..." Gunn trailed.

"Straight out of the mid-18th century," Angel sighed.

"Dawn's on her way right now," Buffy came up behind them, "Is there anything else I can do?"

"What kind of lighting is this?" Keiran questioned, looking up at the lighting.

"It's electricity. Thomas Alva Edison invented the first light bulb in 1879. He also worked on it getting around the country and the world so everyone could have it," Buffy informed him.

"Thomas Edison?" Keiran asked as Angel said, "I thought you didn't know history."

"He was a famous inventor known for having over 1000 patents," Buffy smiled, "And I learned from the best history tutor all those years ago." Buffy told Angel referring to the first time he came over to her house. Angel smiled.

"Well," Keiran said, "We don't know who he is so it doesn't really matter. Anyways, what is this place?"

Buffy and Angel looked at each other, "You explain." They said to each other at the same time, "No, you explain." They said at the same time again. "You're the one who actually runs this place." Buffy said to Angel.

"Alright, this place is the Wolfram & Hart Law office," Angel informed them, "Specifically the branch in Los Angeles. There are many of these law offices all around the world. I happen to be the CEO of this branch." Angel told them.

"CEO?" Kathy asked, "What is that?"

"Chief Executive of Office," Buffy explained, "He the head of this place."

"As much as I hate to do this," Gunn interrupted, "Angel, there's a clan of demons waiting in your office. They're here about that spot downtown that they claim to own."

"Alright," Angel sighed, "Look I have to go. Buffy will you show them to the apartments upstairs? There should be one that's unoccupied."

"Alright," Buffy said and motioned for the family to follow her. Angel turned back to Gunn as a wave of realization passed on his face, "My family. That's my family."

"Pretty awesome, huh?" Gunn lightly smacked his back, "You gettin' to see your family and all."

"Wesley saved them," Angel said again, pausing in the middle of the lobby, "from me."

"From you?" Gunn asked, "What did you do to them?"

"I killed them," Angel told him before going back into his office.

--

"I never learned your name, dear" Catriana said, "What is it?"

"I'm Buffy," Buffy said.

"Is Liam courting you?" Keiran squinted his eyes at her, "Wait a moment, why is Liam even alive? The four of us shouldn't even be alive and here right now."

"You see," Buffy began to tell them, "Angel...Liam...he's a vampire, but a good vampire. With a soul."

"A vampire?" Keiran said, "He's a creature from hell!" He spat as Kathy and Catriana held each other, startled at Buffy's accusation.

"He doesn't kill other people anymore," Buffy tried to explain to the now frightened family, "He helps them."

"Liam? Help people?" Keiran asked, "I wouldn't believe it unless I saw it."

"Well, you'll be seeing it soon, let me tell you that," Buffy assured him and opened the door to one of the largest and most luxurious apartments in the building. "This is where you be staying for the time being. Make yourselves comfortable."

"But what are all these things?" Catriana asked.

"This here," Buffy went over to a table with a phone on it, "is a telephone. You dial some numbers and a person will come on at another end and talk to you. Just ask them anything you want or if you need anything, tell them. There's a bathroom in the back and the kitchen's over to your left."

"What?" Keiran looked at her as if she spoke a different language.

"Dammit, I forgot you guys didn't have plumbing either," Buffy smacked her head. "Come on, I'll show you." She walked to the back where the bathroom was and showed it to them. "This is the bathroom. It's where you take a shower and...um...go to the bathroom." She pointed to the shower and then the toilet.

"What's a kitchen?" Kathy asked.

"A kitchen is where you cook food and eat it," Buffy said.

"There's an oven?" Keiran asked.

"Well, a stove-oven, and a refrigerator-freezer, a dishwasher..."

"There's a person in there just to do the dishes?" Catriana asked.

"What? No!" Buffy said, startled, "There's a machine called a dishwasher. Unless you prefer to wash dishes in the sink." Just then, the phone rang. Buffy jogged over to get it. "Hello?"

"Buffy," Wesley's voice came on the phone, "Dawn's here."

"Good," Buffy smiled and looked at Kathy, "We'll meet you in the lobby."

"Who was that?" Kathy asked.

"My sister's here. She's going to help Kathy. Come on," Buffy motioned for them to follow her.

-Part 3-

"Dawn," Angel said, "Thanks so much for coming. You don't know how much it means to me."

"Sure, so who's this Kathy person?" Dawn inquired.

"Well she's..."

"Dawn!" Buffy ran up to her sister and hugged her.

"Hey Buffy," Dawn smiled and hugged her back, "How are you?"

"Well, besides the whole helping-Angel-run-an-evil-law-firm thing, I'm pretty good," Buffy told her sister.

"Hey!" Angel pouted.

"My heavens!" Keiran inspected Dawn, "What in the devil's name are you wearing?"

"Umm..." Dawn half-laughed, "...clothes..."

"Sir, this is my sister, Dawn," Buffy told him, "Dawn, this is Angel's family."

"Hello," Dawn managed to say after getting over her shock at the whole situation.

"This is my daughter, Kathy," Keiran pushed Kathy in front of Dawn.

"Hey, Kathy," Dawn smiled, "It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Dawn. You have a nice name," she complimented.

"Thanks," Dawn grinned, "Buffy can we go to the mall? I mean to get her some new clothes?"

"Sure," Buffy smiled, "Angel you don't mind right?"

"No," Angel grimaced, "But people are going to notice her in her dress."

"Well, she could borrow something of mine," Dawn indicated to her bag.

"Nonsense!" Keiran spat, "Katherine Anne O'Riley, you will not be wearing those clothes."

"Dad, please," Angel tried to negotiate, "If you guys are going to be here for a while, you've got to learn what we do, or you'll stand out." Keiran glared at his son for a long while before mumbling a yes.

"Good!" Dawn squealed, picked up her stuff and linked Kathy's arm into hers, "You've got so much to see. There's make-up and jewelry and shoes..." They all listened as Dawn told her about what would be in the mall.

"GUYS!" Wesley came running down the stairs with Fred, very out of breath, "D...De...Demon," Wesley panted.

"Wesley, slow down. What?" Buffy asked.

"Demon, stalking the hallway, looking for the three who aren't supposed to be here," Wesley said.

"We shoulda known there'd be consequences to this," Gunn muttered.

"Wes, do you know what kind?" Angel immediately interrogated. Just then, a loud roar came from the top of the stairs. "Buffy, get the swords." Buffy sprinted off to Angel's office and raced back in record time and threw swords to Angel, Wesley, and Gunn. "Mom, Dad, get back!" The couple grasped each other's hands while silently praying. The demon was about 7 feet tall, covered in a gray slime. When it opened its mouth to roar, its teeth were black as night.

"What about Kathy?" Catriana cried.

"She'll be safe, Dawn can fight," Buffy yelled back to her. A second later, she charged the slime demon with her sword, attempting a stab at his stomach. Angel came in right after her, going for its neck.

"You think you can kill me?" The demon rasped, "I will not rest until the threads of time are back in order."

"I think he means your family has to go back to Ireland...and not the 21st century version either," Gunn said, lifting his sword.

"Well, how do we get them back safely?" Angel yelled to the demon as it threw Buffy back against the wall. Buffy yelled in pain. Angel dodged in with his sword, enraged that it had hurt Buffy.

The demon stood and blinked at Angel before saying, "Open the dimension to the yrutnec cileag htneethgie," and disappearing.

"Cileag yrut...what?" Gunn had a puzzled look on his face.

--

"So, you came from Ireland?" Dawn asked. Kathy shyly nodded her head. "I've always wanted to travel, but I couldn't since I used to live on a hell mouth."

"You mean you lived with evil creatures all around you?" Kathy said in barely a whisper.

"Yep. It was kind of annoying at first, but then I learned from Buffy and I'm able to help her," Dawn said, "Just like I'm going to help you. Except not with demons or anything like that..."

"I can't believe the girls here wear pants," Kathy commented, "It's so...boy-like."

"Well, it depends on what kind of pants you wear. There're jeans, khakis, cargos, dress, and a lot more," Dawn explained.

"It's strange," Kathy sighed.

"It is, but then you get used to it," Dawn assured. "Come on. Let's go to the mall."

-2 hours later-

Wesley was in his office deeply into researching the 'yrutnec cileag htneethgie'. Gunn was looking for a statement or even a mere phrase in one of the past law cases that could possibly have been related to some sort of time travel. Dawn and Kathy were still out shopping at the mall, leaving Buffy and Angel alone with Angel's parents.

"You never answered my question before, dear," Catriana lightly put her hand on Buffy's arm.

"What question?" Angel interrogated.

"Liam are you courting Buffy?" Catriana inquired. Keiran sat next to her looking very grouchy.

"Yes and no," Angel told them. Catriana looked up at him in complete frustration. "Buffy and I are together, but we...really don't get the chance to go out much."

"The way you too look at each other is as if you were two people in love," Keiran grumbled.

"Sir, we are in love with each other," Keiran looked at Buffy incredulously, "Very in love. We only split apart because Angel wanted me to have a better life. We didn't completely understand that a few years ago-"

"But now we do," Angel got up and wrapped his arms around Buffy's waist and pulled her to him.

"Hey guys!" Dawn stepped into the room with about eight bags in two hands. "May I present to you, the new Kathy O'Riley!" Kathy hesitated her entrance into the room, but when she did her parents gasped. Her slightly curly brown hair had now been straightened and layered. She wore a dark blue shirt with 'butterfly' sleeves, partially faded out jeans and Nike sneakers.

"What have they done to my baby?" Catriana whispered. Kathy's smile quickly turned to a frown as her parents began scolding her on what she was wearing. She, in fact, liked her new outfit. It was a lot more comfortable than the dresses she usually wore. Tears began streaming out of her eyes and she ran out of the room.

"Why'd you have to do that?" Dawn asked.

"She's a proper unlike you," Keiran shouted and then pointed at Buffy, "and you! You both dress...even worse than whores! And Liam, I'm ashamed to even know you let alone call you my son. Hanging around these...creatures who call themselves women."

"Don't you dare talk about Buffy and Dawn like that," Angel bellowed, "You have no idea what it's like here, so don't go around expecting us to do everything that you do."

"Angel," Buffy touched his arm, "Don't."

"No, Buffy, I've had enough, he needs to know how I feel," Angel gritted, "For my whole life as a human you made me feel like dirt, like I was below you, I'm sick of it. Now you can either accept who I've become, or you can get out." Catriana just sat back on the couch, awed at her son. Keiran looked up at his son, completely shocked.

"I got it!" Wesley shouted at he flew into the office. "' yrutnec cileag htneethgie' is 'eighteenth Gaelic century' backwards! I researched and found that it's a portal that can be easily opened and return your family safely back to Galway!"

"Let's do it then," Angel gave one last glare to his father before following Wesley. A look a complete realization passed along Keiran's face and he put his hand up to his mouth, quietly gasping.

-Part 4-

Angel, Buffy, Dawn, Wesley, Gunn, Fred, Keiran, Catriana, and Kathy stood in Wesley's office while Wesley chanted the words to open then portal.

"'Aperire porta to octavusdecimus centuria hibernia septimus decimus quinquaginta indecl tres tria.'" Wesley chanted and threw powder into the circle. A bright white light flashed through the room and a circle of light was open and the gray demon appeared over it, keeping quiet but watching very carefully.

"Liam," Catriana grasped her son's hands one final time, "I love you. Always remember that."

"I love you to, mother," Angel said with tears in his eyes. He hugged his mother.

"I hope we meet again someday," she smiled before turned away and stood at the edge of the portal.

"Liam, I never got to know you the way I wanted to, but from what I've seen, you're a good man, and I was wrong," Keiran grasped his son's hands. "Always remember that."

"Thank you," Angel managed to smile, and hugged his father.

"And about Buffy-"

"Father-"

"She's a wonderful woman for you. I hope you two spend many wonderful years together," Keiran smiled as he turned and stood with his wife at the edge of the portal. "Come along, Kathy." Kathy stepped towards her brother with tears streaming down her face.

"I don't want to leave," Kathy quietly sobbed.

"You know the rules vampire," the gray demon finally piped up, "They all must go back." Angel looked at the demon for a moment before looking back at Kathy.

"Katherine?" Keiran questioned his daughter, "Don't you want to come home?"

"No," Kathy admitted, "I want to stay with Liam and Dawn and Buffy." Catriana looked towards the sky and began to sob. Keiran stepped beside his daughter and looked up at Angel, "Will you take care of her?"

"She must go back," The demon shouted.

Angel realized something. Kathy was the one who had invited Angelus in their house. If she didn't go back, maybe his parents would live longer. "What if it'll save someone? Two people?"

"What will change if she does not go back?" the demon snarled.

"Angelus won't kill my parents," Angel told him. The demon looked startled, "They'll be able to finish out their lives without being killed in such a horrible way."

The demon frowned and said, "Fine, but this is not to be taken lightly. There may be other consequences for keeping her here."

"I understand," Angel grinned.

"I can stay?" Kathy said. Angel nodded his head.

"Take good care of her, son," Keiran said. "You be good." Keiran kissed his daughter's head. Catriana enveloped her daughter in one last hug. "I love you, sweetheart."

"I know mother, I'm going to miss you," Kathy sniffled. "We'll see each other again. I promise." Catriana let go of her daughter's hand as Buffy stood beside Angel and took his hand.

"Liam, Buffy," Keiran turned around one last time, "You have my blessing." He sighed and smiled. Buffy looked at him wide-eyed for second before giving him a dazzling smile. "Goodbye everyone, and thank you." Keiran took his wife's hand and stepped through the portal. The portal swirled around for a moment and then disappeared taking the gray demon too. Angel and Kathy were full on crying at this point. Buffy, Dawn, Wesley, Fred, and Gunn stood there, amazed at what had just taken place.

When Angel began to recover, he bent down to Kathy's height, "Thank you." He smiled. She wrapped her arms around him, "I'm so happy to be with you...Angel. We can be a family again."

"Yes," Angel whispered. "Yes, we can."

"Well, I don't know about you guys," Gunn cut in loudly, Angel smiled and rolled his eyes before looking at Gunn, "But I got a whole bunch of crap to do on my cases."

"And I have to go back to the lab and see what's going on," Fred said, "I kinda left them on their own."

"Buffy is it alright if I stay here for a while?" Dawn asked.

"Do you think I'd say no, Dawnie?" Buffy said.

"Wait!" Dawn practically shouted, "Kathy! You haven't even heard music yet!" Dawn got very excited and immediately dragged Kathy out of the room.

"I hope she doesn't make her listen to that Britney Spears person," Angel said as he took Buffy's hand and waited as everyone shuffled out of the room.

"Nah. Dawnie's more into pop and rock. I think Linkin Park or Evanescence is what you'll hear blasting through the walls."

"I hope it's not blasting," Angel sighed, "I don't need another headache."

"Angel," Buffy said, "I'm glad your father gave us his blessing."

"Me too, Buffy," Angel said, "Me too." They leaned in and kissed each other before walking back to Angel's office.


	8. Chapter 8

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**  
Episode 1.8: Flashback Terror  
Written by Heaven  
Original airdate: July 11, 2004  
Episode rating: K+

"We're finally here!" Willow gasped as she breathes in a fresh breath of L.A air, and starts choking. Kennedy laughs and pats her on the back.

"No one said Los Angeles was the healthiest place to visit, did they?"

"No they did not" Willow joins Kennedy.

"So, Will, do you want to tell me why we're here? You've been really secretive about this whole visit. And that always means some magic mojo stuff."

"I will, but I need to confirm some things with Wes-, I mean, a friend of mine, before I can say anything." Willow glanced over and studied Kennedy's worried expression. It had a tinge of irritation mixed in.

"Okay, but... what are we going to do with these two?" Kennedy glanced at the two young women behind them. It wasn't new news that she was uncomfortable with the young woman and her child that were sitting behind them.

"They are going to help me. Amy is a very talented Wicca, and her child has the strength of her AND a very powerful warlock. There is no way my spell can fail now." Willow left out the fact that she had killed that warlock, when she was evil.

"Okay, okay, but as soon as you're done that, we can leave right? L.A is way too polluted. I don't need any lung failures, I'm at my prime. I'm starting to get a firm grasp on this Slayer business." Kennedy grinned widely. Willow knew she was proud to be Chosen, even if it wasn't the Chosen One anymore, it was more like the Chosen Hundred.

"Right."

Due to recent events, the target now has a young girl from the 18th century living in the vicinity. Proceed to tail this new subject of interest, record weaknesses, strengths, and report back. I need to know if this new girl is a threat, so any information concerning this young female is mandatory. Also, the Slayers sister, also previously the Key, has questionable information that could be of relevance to this situation. I need to know if this girl is also a threat. With the number of subjects surrounding the target, direct attack is suicide. You need a foolproof way to retrieve information without arousing suspicion. Report back.  
-The Boss

"I need my own room!" Dawn's shriek reverberates through the halls of Wolfram & Hart. Her brown hair is in array, half brushed, half tangled. She's holding up a towel, and her face is red with indignation. The shower is running, and the room is steamy.

"Dawnie, I'm sorry, so sorry, but Angel's not used to girls in the room... besides me that is" Buffy tried to reason with her little sister.

"He still needs to KNOCK!" Dawn's shrill voice causes Buffy to wince, but she recovered quickly and grabbed Dawn's shoulders.

"Dawn, take a chill pill. Angel didn't see anything. Towels are a good cover, plus all the steam... vampires can see in the dark, but they're as blind as we are in shower steam." Buffy reached for any good comfort. At the same time, Buffy can hear muffled speech coming from the other room.

"Lorne? I need a ... set up. Location... hmm, if possible ... For ..."

"Angel... who are you talking to?" Buffy peeked her head out of the bathroom.

"Hold on a sec, Lorne" Angel motioned Buffy to him, and whispered in her ear.

"Oh! Angel, thanks so much honey! I'll tell Dawn right away!"

"No! Please, I want to keep it a secret. Just for now, okay?" Angel kisses her cheek and shoos her back into the bathroom to Dawn so he could get back to his phone call.

"Yah, and Lorne...?

In Kathy's Room

"Oh my god! And I was freaking out! I mean, Angel could have seen me! And they won't give me my own room! I have to sleep on the couch! I mean I'm almost eighteen! I'm almost a legal adult! Most people are living in college dorms by now! Or traveling around the world! And I'm stuck living with my older sister and her demon boyfriend!"

"And my older brother... I'm sorry to interrupt, but how is it that many women in this time can travel without a husband? Where, when I was, women had to stay by their husbands all the time. To provide for them, and to make them look important"

"Oh, wow, this is hard to explain, but women here have close to equal rights. They can have a career, travel, and do pretty much whatever they want, within the law, of course. You have a lot to learn about 2004, but I think you'll like it, I certainly do."

"I'm sure I will" Kathy grinned.

"So, do you want to come hang around while Buffy and I do our training? I'm positive Buffy will let you help out, or even join in!" Dawn started to get up.

"Uh... sure. Okay."

Dawn and Kathy get up, and Dawn takes a final look at the room... Man, I wished mine were like this.

"Will... are you sure this is where they work?" Kennedy asked in a panic.

"Well, the last time I was here, yes, this is where they worked. I remember it so clearly. But it wasn't as... blown up and destroyed last time." Willow looks around, sees all the rubble and ruined furniture, and instantly concluded that something was not right, that something was definitely WRONG.

As they explored the destroyed hotel, Willow grew more and more worried. She didn't express these worries to Kennedy or Amy, because she didn't want to freak them out, or risk Amy going all "Wicked Witch" and breaking out of the binding spell Willow had on her now. She was crazy enough without them having to hurt her.

"Um, girls? May I help you in any way?" A strange, but sophisticated voice suddenly sprang out between the boards of a wall.

"No... we're just looking around..." Willow tried. The voice sounded so familiar. Maybe with a little more ghetto...

"This is private property. Unless you have a permit, or permission from Wolfram & Hart authorities, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Suddenly, she figured it out.

"Gunn? Charles Gunn?" Willow telekinetically moved the boards to make a hole that she and Ken could walk through.

"Willow, hi! Sorry 'bout the formalities, but... rules are rules! I'm sorry you had to see this place in such... ruin. We've moved to a Law firm, an evil Law firm... but I'm sure Angel will explain more. Would you like a ride?" Gunn gestured to the limo waiting behind him.

"Yes, thank you. I have two more passengers though." Willow turned to see Kennedy walking up behind her, with Amy and her baby in tow. She smiled warmly, and takes Kennedy's hand.

"Gunn... this is Kennedy. She's my girlfriend. And, a Slayer."

"A Slayer? Well, I guess you're an unbeatable couple than! Is she Wicca too?"

"Uh..." Willow stammered

"No, I'm not", Kennedy butted in, "but I'm totally okay with it"

Gunn nodded, a sort of closing, agreeing, nod, as if he approved.

They walked into the limo. Willow gasped in awe. The seats were a lush, deep red. Almost like dark blood. It was so lovely, and so sinister, that she wanted to run, and sit, at the same time. There was a little fridge, like the ones in convenience stores, with a clear glass door. Willow almost gagged, there was blood in the fridge. Not only blood, but also each bottle had a label. "Rats", "Pigs", "Dog" and "Human".

"Uh... Gunn, is it? Why is there blood in the fridge?" Kennedy asked, looking very scared.

"Oh, for our vampire clients, and for Angel, of course."

"Angel-"

"But, he doesn't drink human blood again, right?" Willow interrupted Kennedy.

"Right. He's on a strict pig diet."

"Okay, wait just a minute! Who is Angel? And Will-" Kennedy looked at Willow, glaring, "-aren't we supposed to SLAY vampires? Why is this place feeding them."

"Well, Angel has a soul. And to keep a healthy, and non-war zone business, we need to keep out clients happy, even if we end up staking they're asses... well hearts I guess" Gunn replied, slipping slightly into his old slang.

"Well... okay, but if I see any of these vamp "clients", it'll take a lot to hold me back" Kennedy said resignedly.

"Don't worry Gunn, I'll keep her occupied" Willow assured him.

"Angel? You have a phone call." Harmony buzzed in to Angel's office.

"Um, Harmony? Can it wait? I'm on the phone with Buffy right now"

"It could... but I think you'll really want to take this call. It's Gunn, saying he has really important news."

"Harmony, no. Tell Gunn I'll talk to him when he gets back" Angel immediately blocked her from saying more, and continued with his phone call with Buffy.

"Sorry about that Buff, someone was asking for me. But, back to the plan... all the arrangements are ready, so now we just have to wait until the right day."

"Right. Definitely a birthday thing. Listen... a patient just came in. I'll have to see you after work okay?" Buffy spoke really quickly, so Angel could tell that this person was really a important case.

"Sure, see you later." Angel hung up.

After thinking about it for a while, Angel had decided that Wolfram & Hart needed some backup, an additional training room for the number of Slayers that happened to be showing up. That was just what Wesley was working on setting up right now. Though not very clear, the prophecies pre told of two new Slayers to be. Though Wes couldn't see how that was possible, he was planning to be prepared anyway, he never doubted the prophecies.

Part 2 

"Hello Wesley" Illyria walked into the room, with the same haughty arrogance that she always carried.

"Illyria... can I help you? Or have you come to remind me of what scum we all are?" Wesley said, slightly irritated.

"No... I just thought you should know. I sense strength in that new, but old one. Kathy." Illyria tilted her head in the way that only she could do. "It puzzles me."

"Well, she does have quite an attitude for someone who grew up in a time when the authority of women was suppressed. Would that be it?"

"I'm not sure. If you wish, I could pursue this interest more thoroughly, and find out more. Would that help with your..." Illyria gestured to the papers and books on his desk "... research?"

"No thank you. I'm sure it will all unravel with time."

"That sounds agreeable. I shall leave you to..." Illyria gestured again to the books and papers "... your research"

"Thank you. And Ilyria-" Wesley called to her as she was leaving. "-please don't tell Kathy about anything, strength or otherwise. I may have an idea about what it is, but I don't want to worry her yet."

"As you wish" Illyria made a graceful exit, as she always does._ I could learn to love her. She may not be Fred, but she has the same ferocity as Lilah did..._

While Wesley was wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn't notice Kathy lurking in the shadows of the doorway. She had come to ask for a book to read, as those books of his could bring up ANY book, and she couldn't find any of the novels she loved to read in the Wolfram & Hart library. But she heard the whole conversation. What's wrong with me?

"Buffy? Our two new students wanted to talk to you before going to class." Tom walked into her office. "Neither of them are P through Z, but they requested you specially."

Buffy looked up to see Dawn smiling wryly at her. Beside her was Kathy, looking very shy and timid.

"Hey Buff."

"Hey Dawnie" Buffy got up and closed the door. "What are you doing here? More to the point, what are you doing in school?"

"See, a NORMAL sister would ask why her sister wasn't in school, or why her sister was in counseling, but no, my sister gets to ask why I started up again. Anyway, I just figured if I finished grade twelve I could graduate and maybe go to college, or something."

"And... Kathy? Why is she here?" Buffy looked over, Kathy looked like she was going to cry. "Kathy, are you all right?"

"I kinda gave her a debriefing of history up until grade eleven, because that-"

Dawn pointedly looked at Buffy as if to say See? I'm not THAT young "-is the grade she's in, or, the grade that fits with her age. She's a little upset about W.W.I, and W.W.II and... well pretty much all the wars up until now."

"It's all so... violent" Kathy burst into tears.

"Oh, honey, honey" Buffy got up to give Kathy a hug. All at once she noticed Dawn's outfit. Black leather pants so tight you could see the sinewy muscles that were just waiting to bolt, a black spaghetti strap tank top with a dark purple pentacle on it, a belly top to show her newly pierced belly button (it's okay Buff, she got it done in Europe, you were there). She had purple and black plastic bracelets on her wrists (those new "sex bracelets" that everyone was going on about, not that it makes a difference), maybe ten on each wrist, and a ring on her thumb that also had a pentacle on it. Her shoes were boots, slim black boots with thin heels. And to top it all off, she had dark eyeliner and mascara on. Buffy had to give her credit though, she looked good.

"So Buffy, noticing my outfit?" Dawn did a little twirl, then grabbed Kathy and spun her around.

Kathy's new look was quite similar. A blood red leather skirt, a black quarter length shirt with slits on the side and a low back, but still very tight, and very sheer, so sheer you could see the black bra she was wearing underneath. Her footwear was black strappy platforms. She was wearing mesh leggings. Her wrists also were covered in plastic bracelets, except hers were red and black. Luckily her eye makeup was less obvious, but only a little less. She had blood red lipstick, and carefully lined cat eyed eyes. And looking very sophisticated on top of the whole outfit was a black choker with a tear drop shaped ruby hanging from it. Both their hairstyles were the same, straight and loose. Twirling, they looked like Goth vampires dancing over a fresh kill, which was ironic, as Kathy's brother was a vampire, and Dawn's sister killed them.

"Uh, yah, wow. I mean, wow." Buffy was absolutely speechless. She can't remember ever seeing Dawn look so scary, even when she cut herself to see if her blood was real.

She stood up again, and realized she didn't remember sitting down. They were both a little more than a head taller than her. Kathy definitely looked like Angel, and had the height thing down packed, even without the heels. And Dawn had always been taller, but now she felt like a little girl compared to them.

"Buffy? I would just like to know, how do I look? Dawn says I look 'hot', but I don't see how the temperature has anything to do with my look." Kathy gave a shy smile, which didn't really suit the outfit.

"Well, she's right. And 'hot' in this century means you look amazing, gorgeous." Buffy smiled warmly. "But you two should get to class. Just you standing here is making me feel old. Like your mother, which I am NOT ready to be."

Buffy was amazed at how well Kathy and Dawn were getting along, well, actually, not really. Maybe it was a whole cosmic thing, since Angel and Buffy were soul mates, Kathy and Dawn should be able to get along. But it was also somewhat scary, Dawn and Kathy looked so alike, especially with the matching vamped up outfits.

**In Angel's Office**

"So, you were just going to let us surprise you?"

Angel glanced up, back down to his books and did a double take.

"Willow? Wow, I wasn't expecting you."

"I know. Long story, and I won't be here long, I just have some business to take care of with a few of your employees slash roomies here."

"Well, we have lots of room, hang around a bit."

"Thanks for the offer, I'd love to catch up with some people again, but I have extra baggage. Of the human variety"

"Don't worry. We have so much room here, every thing is almost going to waste. Stay as long as you want"

"Alright. I'd just like to get settled first, then maybe talk to Buffy. Is there...?"

"I'll get Harmony to see you to a room."

"Ooh, fancy. Wait, did you say Harmony? Like, tried to kill us, with horrible tactics, I might add, Harmony?" Willow gave Angel a suspicious look. "Are you sure you're not evil?"

"Believe me, I wasn't too keen either. But she's actually a very good secretary, if you ignore the fact that she criticizes everyone about what they're wearing, and really doesn't know the difference between an important call, and a not-so-important call. Plus, she's off human blood. Personally, I think it's because she's too preoccupied with her wardrobe to hunt, but whatever works." Angel laughed and buzzed Harmony.

"Harm? Our guests need rooms. No biting, or you'll answer to the Slayer, and a bad-ass witch." Angel smiled and looked back up at Willow "There. She shouldn't be so much of a problem."

"Okay."

"Oh, and Buffy and I were going to meet for lunch. You can join us if you like."

"I'd love to, would you mind if I bring a guest? Kennedy. Oh, right. We have a lot to catch up on." Willow gave a little wave and turned on her heel to return to the people waiting by Harmony's desk.

"I'll see you later Angel." She called over her shoulder.

Dawn and Kathy rushed to their separate classes. Dawn didn't want to be late for her first day of school, even if her first day was in February. Ah, February. I wonder if L.A has any sensitive poetic type dudes who'll go for this look. Man, normal sucked. I can't wait to beat on the first guy who tries to slap my ass. Dawn smiled evilly. Maybe L.A wouldn't be that bad. As soon as she walked into the classroom, she knew she was right. There were at least five people dressed the same way she was, dark and mysterious. And they looked just as surprised to see her, which was good. She mentally calmed herself down and stalked in. Smirked at the teacher, who had already begun the lesson, and sat at the back, with the rest of the Goths.

Part 3 

"Hey" Dawn ventured carefully to the closest guy sitting next to her.

"Dawn... that's such a... cheery name" the guy's voice sounded bored, but his eyes showed interest in what she'd turn out like.

"Well, genetic pool not so awesome. But my sister's okay" Dawn frowned, hoping that sounded not too... preppy, and mentally thanked her mom for not making her name Sunny, or something like that, then remember that her mom hadn't actually chosen her name, so she felt better about the Gene pool crack.

"I get that. Parents are always so demanding."

"I don't exactly have parents. More of a support group that doesn't really support" Dawn smiled sadly, remembering her kleptomaniac stage, and how she hated being the last on everyone's list.

"Sounds intense" the guy let his voice show a little more enthusiasm and warmth.

"It is. So, you know my name, are you going to tell me yours?"

"They call me Shred" Shred grinned evilly. "But I'm not really that bad, I just have a habit of ripping up books, bibles and school work."

"Fun."

"It is."

"So, not that I care, but what have I missed during this conversation?" Dawn asked the girl sitting beside her.

"How should I know?" She smiled.

"None of this concerns me anyways."

"History sucks totally. I can't believe we have to learn this sh-"

"Dawn, does my class bore you? Or are you so desperate to fit in that you have to make friends this instance." the teacher (Mr.Opile, is it?) broke in his lesson.

"I'm not sure how different Sunnydale is from here, but here we don't talk in class."

"Well, I was just discussing the importance of this class, and what I might have to catch up on." Dawn smoothly lied, she had so much practice.

"Oh. Well, I'll let it slide this once. No more chatter though."

"Yah, sure whatever, not" Dawn muttered under her breath, and Shred snorted.

In Kathy's class, math, she was utterly lost. She kept to herself and took notes, and tried really hard to understand what was being taught, but she couldn't. One girl tried to talk to her, one dressed like herself, but Kathy had tears in her eyes from frustration, so she didn't so much as glance her way. But, the straw that broke the camel-named-Kathy's back was when the teacher called on her to answer a problem. She couldn't take the pressure of having all the class's attention on her, and she ran out of the class, looking desperately for a "lavatory" to cry in (things weren't THAT different in the 18th century) When the bell rang, Kathy walked as calmly as she could to the Councilor's Office to see Buffy.

"Kathy? What are you doing here?" Buffy stood as she saw the tears streaming from Kathy's eyes and stepped around her desk to give her a hug.

"I don't think I can do this school thing. I just don't understand anything. Whatever happened to etiquette classes and needlepoint?" Buffy noticed the Irish lilt was heavier now than ever. She read somewhere(some counseling book) that when people got nervous, or sad, their accents(if indeed, they have one) tend to get heavier, more defined, but she never had actual proof until now.

"They disappeared I think right after the women's revolution, but I was never really good at history." Buffy tried lamely to make a joke.

"I just can't learn all this!" Kathy sniffled and turned her face into Buffy's shoulder.

"Hmm, maybe we can change some things around. Let me make a call." Buffy sat Kathy down in a chair, and went back behind her desk, sat down and promptly called Angel.

"Angel? Do you think it would be possible to set up a tutor at Wolfram & Hart for Kathy? To kind of start her from grade one to eleven? Except history. I bet I can talk to the principal and arrange for her to attend those classes, because not only did Dawn debrief her, but she lived part of it." While she was doing this, Kathy just sat, wondering what pie had to do with math.

"Okay, thanks, bye bye sweetie. Yah, I love you too" Buffy said hurriedly into the phone. She hung up, then picked it up again immediately, almost as if she had forgotten to say something. But instead of speaking, she pushed a few buttons, put the phone to her ear, paused and started speaking.

"Hello, Tom? You know the student Kathy... Liam's?" Buffy had almost forgotten the last name they made up for her. "Well, we've, that is, Angel and I, decided to tutor Kathy at home. We've been unsuccessful in finding a history tutor though, so could she remain in that class and drop the others?" Pause "Yes, I realize this is a strange situation." Pause "Yes, Angel and I are her legal guardians." Pause "Thanks so much Tom, you won't regret this." Buffy hung up the telephone and stared at Kathy with a mock severe look.

"You better get good grades in history, young lady." Unable to keep the severity in her voice, especially when speaking to someone who looked so much like Angel, Buffy broke into a grin. "Everything's set! All I recommend for today is hang with Dawnie for lunch, then sit through the rest of your classes, and I'll give you and Dawn a ride home, alright?" Kathy nodded fervently. She rushed off to the room named the Cafeteria, and located Dawn in the crowd.

"Dawn! Dawn!" Kathy sat down beside her.

"Hey Kathy! How was the first morning?" Dawn said casually, though she noticed the running eyeliner, a fact that Kathy hadn't seemed to know about yet. Dawn looked around at her new friends, Shred, Ty (the girl sitting next to her), Heaven, Heather, Knife, Rod, Zak and Bob (better known as B.J) and smiled

"Guys? This is Kathy. She's cool. But we have some business to finish. We'll be right back" Dawn assured them.

"Hurry back Dawnie girl" Shred touched her arm playfully.

"Will do" Dawn rushed Kathy to the bathroom, and started to wet some paper towels.

"Oh my god! What is this filth on my face?" Kathy started to rub at the already smudged eye liner.

"No! Kathy, chill. It's just the eye liner running. I take it you didn't have a great first half day, huh?"

"Not at all, math is just so confusing, and the teacher... spits all over the place." Kathy shuddered.

"Ooh, I feel your pain. There was a teacher like that in Sunnydale, and he was just disgusting with the spitting and the slobbering... you were lucky to get a seat in the back" Dawn reminisced happily as she washed the smudged makeup off Kathy's face.

"Sunnydale sounds like a fun and happy place. Almost better than where I grew up."

"Fun? Sometimes. But happy? Not at all. Murders every week, vampires and evil demons after some weird thing like opening the Hellmouth." Dawn scoffed slightly. "It was never normal."

"I guess not. Though, compared to this time and place, where and when I grew up... everything seems so fruitless now. I'll never need to needlepoint, wear a long frilly dress, and go to balls when I am of age. Actually," Kathy paused, thinking. "I don't think I miss it. It'll be hard to fit in, seeing as I don't know what goes on, but I'm glad I never have to wear a corset again." Kathy grinned. Dawnie laughed, and they walked together back to the cafeteria to drink, eat and be merry... with the Goths.

"Angel?" Angel looked up to see his good friend Wesley standing in the doorway. He looked slightly frazzled, and even his shirt was frayed, as if he had been wearing it for a couple of weeks straight.

"Wesley! You've finally come out of the bat cave you call your office!" Angel joked warmly. It was true, though. Angel hadn't seen his friend and employee in almost a month. Illyria insisted on bringing him food, and being the only one to see him, and he didn't argue. Illyria seemed to be his only comfort these days.

"Yes, well, I've been busy. "

"So, what's the news on the new Slayers?" Angel asked. He had been informed only a week ago that two new Slayers would enter this world in the L.A area. He wanted to be ready.

"According to the prophecies and the timing of... everything, my calculations reveal that the two are already in our presence."

"Well, that's good news. Now we have to flush them out, then?" Angel sounded less than happy about this.

Part 4 

"Willow? Do we have all the preparations?" Amy asked weakly.

"Just about. We need one more person though. I was counting on Fred helping... but I guess that's not happening. I should put that on my list 'Find out what happened to Fred'..." Willow trailed off mindlessly. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something she was being watched. Too bad she wasn't psychic, or empathic. It would make the whole thing easier.

"What about Kennedy?"

"She's so not cool with the mojo. And she doesn't know the subject of power well enough." She was talking about the person they were going to bring back.

"But Harmony... she knew him VERY well." Willow smiled, and if she didn't know better, she could have sworn the chill up her spine was the dark magic coming to haunt her again.

"Okay, so we have four people. I mean it Willow, we NEED a fifth. Or else it just won't work." Amy said, this time with a little more gusto in her voice.

"I know, I know, okay? But things just aren't working out the way they should have. I keep forgetting about Tara... and what happened. In my mind we had five people. But we're cut short." Willow looked over her list. The spell required six people. One child, one with ultimate power, one with limited power, one close to the subject of the spell working, one oblivious to the actual goal of the spell and one old -yet powerful and full of youth. They had all but the latter. Which made it all the more confusing. Because they had no idea how that would work.

"What about that teen who's friends with Dawn?" Amy asked innocently. But the fireworks of thought exploded in Willow's head. Old, but young... like someone born to the eighteenth century, but still the mind and spirit of a sixteen year old. One more year and they would have been too late.

"Wait that would work! Now all we have to do in convince her of the logic of what we're doing. It's easier for Dawn, because she doesn't have to know what we are doing, just recite the spell. I know Harmony will be all for it"

"I could be of service." A vaguely familiar voice filled the room like a new scent. Amy, Willow and even Amy's baby girl looked up. Willow gasped in a mix of awe and horror. Fred... or not Fred?

"What? Who?" Willow couldn't say much more. Her emotional level was vulnerable right now. She couldn't make sense of what she was saying. Almost like whenever she saw Tara in her dreams. Fred, or, whoever she was, smiled. Almost cruelly, except Willow could never imagine her smiling that way.

"Willow. This body remembers you, this mind remembers you. But we've never met." She extended her hand in a grace Willow would never have expected.

"I am Illyria. Until recently I was one of the Old Ones, until a worshiper trapped me in the human container. The woman you knew, Fred, she does not exist. But I hope we can somehow reach some level of respect." Willow could see fear, however miniscule, in Illyria's eyes, and she understood the offer. Illyria could sense her power. Greater now that she had it controlled. For all she knew, she could be here to dispose of her.

"I'm more along the lines of lets be friends" Willow smiled her warmest smile and took Illyria's hand. They shook, and for a moment Willow considered using her for the spell. She was certainly powerful, young AND old. The only problem was she was an adult, and it required a youth. Too bad though.

"Okay. We'll try for friends. But I'm not sure it will work. Friendships never come easily for the Almighty." Illyria smiled wistfully, and Willow decided it was time to change the conversation to the spell.

"Alright. Illyria, do you think you could tell Dawn, Kathy and Harmony we need them? Try explaining it to Kathy and Harmony without letting Dawn know. It's important that Dawn doesn't know." Willow said urgently.

"I am not your lapdog. I will help because it suits me." Illyria turned on her heel and stalked away. Willow just stared in surprise. She shook it off, and turned to Amy. But once again they were interrupted, this time by Wesley. He knocked politely on the door.

"Wes." Willow turned and instinctively hugged him. He hugged her back. She was, besides Angel and Buffy, the only link to his past in Sunnydale, which, while short, taught him a lot.

"In advance, I'd like to apologize for Illyria. She's still dealing with the real world, or, our real world. She likes every world better than this, besides the one with just shrimp." Wesley laughed at the secret joke. He looked past Willow, and saw Amy with her child. The little girl she had yet to name. Willow recognized the look, but not the reason. But she didn't ask. The time they had been separated, from Graduation to now... she realized the man had changed, and cloaked himself in mystery. She saw a bit of that the last time she visited the Angel crew, but it had never been as noticeable as now.

"Who, who is this?" Wesley stammered. "Amy Madison. This is my daughter. I haven't named her yet. For now we just call her Gaia. Earth." Amy smiled shyly. Willow also recognized THAT look. Amy had feelings for him. She had probably seen him around Sunnydale High his short time there. But as far as she knew, Wesley didn't return those feelings.

"Well. Nice to meet you. I really must get back to, to my, my research." Wesley stumbled over his works again, and Willow began to wonder if she was wrong, maybe he felt the same way. Wesley staggered out of the room. After a few moments of confused silence, Willow tested her voice.

"Anyway, we should get back to preparing." In silence, they drew the pentacle, arranged the candles, herbs and crystals. They set Gaia in the middle of the pentacle, the sign of purity. Then Willow sat cross-legged at the fire corner, the bottom right. Amy sat at the top, spirit, as a symbol of the bearer of purity. When Illyria returned with Kathy, Harmony and Dawn, all three looking confused, Willow directed them to sit at their assigned points, Dawn on air, the top left point, Harmony, on earth, the bottom left point, and Kathy on the Water point, the top right, and last point of the pentacle.

"Okay. Repeat every word and action that Amy and I do." Willow was all business, handing them each a sack of herbs, and a small, controlled bonfire to place at their points of the pentacle. Powers that help, and Magic's so good Bring things back to be as they should Undo the dust, bring back that which we devote Our precious time to thy life promote Amy and Willow grabbed their bags of herbs and dumped them in the small fire, letting the smell waft over them, with deep breaths.

"Now, close your eyes, concentrate on the intention, and visualize a yellow daisy against a white background. Bring back our champion Strong and true He must fulfill the prophecy Bring back what we knew As the sparks twirled up from the separate points, and met in an arc over Gaia, a sudden explosion of power exploded and shook the whole building. Surprised, Willow and Amy opened their eyes, immediately sensing that something was wrong. Instead of the blond haired vampire rising out of the explosion, a great beast emerged. Willow was the only one who truly was impacted by the appearance. It looked like the Master, the Mayor(as a giant snake), Glory, Dark Willow, and the First all mixed into one. It was terrifying to see herself in this melee of absolute evil.

"Witches! How dare you!" the monster screamed. Willow dubbed it the Uber-Beast in her mind. "We, we meant no disrespect! I, we, I was trying to right a realm of wrong! A prophecy there is, the Chanchu that says the vampire with a soul will become human. I have inside informants that know it's not Angel-"

"I know of the Chanchu, Witch. You have awoken me, my hunger! I shall destroy this puny town!" the Uber-Beast opened its five mouths and screamed Willow's blood rage scream. The one that banished Osiris.

"No! Stay-" Willow conjured as much good energy as she could, and screamed. "BACK!" Willow unleashed the typhoon of power. But it didn't so much as glance it. Kathy jumped up, while Dawn and Harmony just sat in a daze.

"Willow!" She ran at the monster before anyone could stop her. She launched herself at it, a fury of nails and fists. Surprisingly, the monster leaped back.

"Slayer..." it hissed with the Mayor's snaky tongue. "You have no idea how I would love to crush you. But I can't touch you. Not yet." The monster stepped back and glared at Amy. The, though she looked frightened, stared it right in the eye and stepped up to the challenge.

"Goddess Hecate, work thy will, let thy unclean thing crawl" Amy chanted softly. Nothing happened. Weaker than Willow, Amy's powers had been drained from the last spell.

"Foolish Witch. Do you know what you've given birth too? Part warlock and part witch. Not to mention a Slayer." Willow gasped. And as soon as those words resounded through the room, so did everyone else. Including Wesley, who had stumbled into the room at that exact moment.

"Noooo!" Wesley screamed. "Willow, you were dealing forces you didn't understand! You've invoked a prophecy. A dangerous prophecy."

"Too right Warlock man, by trying to bring back one champion, I have the power to take the life of your living champion."

"Willow, listen to me. Only Angel can stop this. I don't blame you, but only Angel can touch this beast."

_But what if I-?_ She sent telepathically to Wesley. Surprisingly he responded. _There's nothing, NOTHING, you can do. This prophecy is forked. The best we can hope for is to help Angel in as many indirect ways we can. _

_What's a forked prophecy? _Dawn's thoughts broke into their conversation. Willow and Wesley both looked up sharply.

"What? You think you're the only ones with tricks?"

"No, no, that's no trick, it's powerful magic, Dawn." Wesley strained. Then explained, as the beast watched, listening.

"A forked prophecy means it could go either way. The Uber-Beast can only touch Angel, only Angel can touch the beast. Angel has a chance to win. But so does the Uber-Beast."

"Well put, Warlock boy." The beast grinned with all it's five mouths, and disappeared. "We have to get Angel." Wesley said, then left without another word. in the room, the five women just looked at each other, slightly embarrassed.

"Willow, did you know this would happen?" Harmony asked the question on everybody's mind

"No, no, of course not! I had no idea. I just wanted to bring back Spike, for the good of mankind, but... I guess there was someone down there working against me."

"Traitors in the building?" Kathy shrieked her horror. "No, no, farther down then that. In hell." Willow smiled weakly.

Part 5 

Report: There are now four Slayers in Angel's building. The blonde one has no idea of the Beast I conjured. Nor the dark haired one, Kennedy. The Witch believes someone's working against her. She is wise. The two new Slayers are a young girl, and a baby girl. The babe of the pitiable Witch, the weaker one, Amy Madison. About the new teenage female. She is a Slayer, but ignorant about this fact. She has no knowledge of anything in this world, but she has bravery and strength. She could prove to be dangerous, though not as much as the older Slayers, as she has no idea how much power she has. -S

The next morning, Angel was ready to kill, literally. Willow and Amy had juiced him up with the most powerful magic's they possessed, though Willow withheld the dark stuff, because Buffy said it would corrupt him, and she didn't want Willow losing control again. He had weapons, more than he could count, and an endless amount of tricks up his sleeve. What he couldn't understand, nor could Buffy, what had caused this monster to be created. None of the five women who had performed the spell would speak of it to him, or Buffy. It was disconcerting, but he trusted them. Or, he trusted Willow, Dawn and Kathy. Harmony was evil, by matter of definition, and he had never really met Amy, but Buffy said she could be dangerous. Another problem was that Kennedy, Willow's girlfriend, also had no idea what was going on. At the time of action, she had been shopping, by Willow's request. She knew something had gone down, and she wanted in, but she didn't know how to react when they told her she couldn't fight. At the last minute, Buffy and Wesley decided Willow should accompany him to find the beast, because she could do a locater spell, and if he was hurt gravely, she could heal him. He agreed, intent on pumping Willow for information, in the nicest way he could. So here they were, walking down the busy streets of L.A, and he had gotten nowhere. Willow was staying quiet, concentrating on finding the monster. Which was a good reason for the silent treatment, but he was restless for information.

Willow pretended she was concentrating, to avoided awkward questions. She already knew where the beast was, but it was getting there that was hard. He wasn't moving. He didn't need too, no one could touch him. As soon as they walked up to it, she knew it was ready for combat. How cute, it's even got a soccer field picked out for the fight. Willow thought sarcastically.

"Damn, part of that thing looks like you, Willow." Angel turned to her. "I'll explain later. Get fighting!" Willow yelled, because she could sense, more than see, the beast coming running at him, full attack mode. She put a quick protection spell on the Champion, and stepped into the woods surrounding the field to watch.

"Dawn, tell me!" Buffy was screaming at her little sister. She was trying to figure out what was going on. All she knew there was a baddie beating up her boyfriend, and her sister had something to do with it.

"I don't know. I'm telling the truth!" Dawn shrieked back. "You always assume it's my fault!"

"Well, you were in the room in came out of."

"So were Amy, Willow, Harmony and Kathy! Why am I the only one getting beat up for information?" Dawn exaggerated. She knew Buffy would never touch her violently on purpose. It was the accidental grabbing of the arm that hurt. But she pretended she didn't think it was accidental, let tears well in her eyes, and ran to Kathy's room. She wanted her sister to feel shame, like she did. She had absolutely no idea what she had done with them. Illyria said it was part of the plan that one person is in the dark. She couldn't help but wonder if she was always in the dark. No one had habits of telling her anything. Dawn hadn't even known that Buffy had come to L.A. They were hanging with Andrew in Italy, and she just said she had to take off. In a note, left for her and Andrew to read. It was pure luck that Andrew was called back for Watcher apprentice duty shortly after, or it would have taken longer for her to get there.

"Kathy? Does your door have a lock? I need some peace and quiet." Dawn charged in, making sure that none of her anger was directed at her friend. Kathy knew why she was there. She knew that her own room was shared with the one person she didn't want to see, so she closed the door and locked it without further ado.

As Dawn stalked away, Buffy knew she hadn't really hurt her, but she wasn't going to follow her, she had bigger fish to fry. Amy was doing a scrying spell to keep an eye on Willow and Angel. Her latest report was that they had found the beast, and that Angel and it were fighting, but Angel was holding up well, so Buffy wasn't worried. She had called in sick for Kathy and Dawn, and herself. Tom had been skeptical, but hadn't argued. He knew that Buffy was the girlfriend of the most powerful law firm in L.A, in a matter of speaking. Buffy had tried endlessly to explain that she was her own person, but Tom was scared shitless of Angel, to put in nicely, and it had helped in times like this. Walking out of the hallway, Buffy went looking for Harmony, the only available witness.

"She's right, you know." Buffy turned in surprise. Illyria had snuck up on her. Props to her She thought, because even Angel couldn't sneak up on her.

"Who and what?" Buffy stammered, thrown a little off guard as she always was when she glimpsed the blue tinted female.

"Your sister. She had no knowledge of what happened. She was uninformed purposely. I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't for just this reason. Willow knew you would go to Dawn first to find out what happened, which is why she didn't tell you."

"Do you know what happened?" Buffy asked suspiciously. "Of course. I knew before the fact. It is written." Illyria cocked her head and walked away.

"Written..." Buffy shook her head. She didn't like mind games. She liked hand to hand combat better. She continued her search for Harmony, but the young (by comparison) vampire was nowhere to be found. After about half an hour later, Buffy stopped looking. She decided to talk to Wesley. Outside his office, Buffy hesitated. She didn't just want to barge in, but she'd knocked, and there was no response. She really wanted to respect her former Watcher's privacy but... she just couldn't. Once inside, she went right to his desk and read the translation of the scroll that was resting on it, as if she knew exactly what to look for.

_By the power of six, a new beast will emerge. From the magic's of Slayers, Witches and Vampires, the beast will live to killing the vampire with a soul. He runs on their power and can only be harmed by the one he came to kill. If they waste their energy, the beast will win. By this way, the two newest Slayers in the city of Angels will be revealed._

"Oh no, Buffy!" Wesley ran in, and grabbed the paper from her, but she had read it. That evil son of a bitch was draining the life out of her best friend, her sister, and her lover's sister. She glared at Wesley for not telling her, and stalked out, barking orders at Gunn and Illyria.

"I need the five remaining people that are not Willow. Gaia, Amy, Kathy, Dawn and Harmony. I need to see them." they stood kind of confused.

"NOW!" She screamed, and turned back to Wesley, who had come up behind her.

"How could you not tell me? This is my sister!" Buffy took a swing at Wes, convinced now he had to be evil.

"Buffy, I just-" He ducked with a surprising swift movement. "-finished translating it. I-" He blocked a kick and grabbed Buffy and held her to him, in a lock, so she would listen. "I was on my way to find you."

"Really?" Buffy looked at him suspiciously. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Have you ever kept something from someone you loved to protect them?" Wesley asked. Buffy instantly thought of when Dawn was the Key, and she found out when Spike read her Giles' Diary. She was furious.

"That was different. Dawn couldn't protect herself, she was fourteen! I am a grown woman, not to mention a, the true Slayer!" Buffy got herself out of the lock, making sure Wesley knew she was never really caught.

"I know. I had to protect Kathy though! She knew what the spell was for, but she doesn't know of the power she has harnessed!" Wesley protested.

"Alright, I'll let it go this time, but we can't let them exert any more strength then necessary, okay?"

"Buffy, what's going on? I knew you were angry, but an armed escort?" Dawn tried to fight her way out of Illyria's clutches, and Buffy was sure she had put up a hell of a fight.

"Stop, Dawn, stop! Don't work yourself up like this! It's dangerous." Dawn stopped fighting for a moment.

"What?"

"That beast runs on your energy. If you don't use as much, it can be stopped easier. Same with you-" Buffy nodded at Kathy "-and Harmony, Amy and Gaia. Relax, your life is counting on it!" Dawn and Kathy collapsed into a sofa, stunned. When Gunn returned with Harmony and Amy, and Buffy told them, they sat down beside Kathy and Dawn with similar expressions.

"G-Gaia's sleeping. That-that's good, right?" Amy asked, her voice wavering. "That's the best possible thing right now." Wesley reassured her.

Part 6 

Angel was fighting well. The beast seemed to have weakened a bit. He didn't know why, but he knew it was a good thing. He had the advantage. He was cutting and slashing with all his might. He had managed to cut off the part he deemed most dangerous, the Dark Willow. Luckily, this time the First had form. It could still shift, of course, but it just meant whomever it switched to, he would have to cut off. He was centered on that part now, because he knew it was the part that could wound him emotionally, and he didn't want emotions involved. He ran at it, raising an axe and slicing. Right before it hit, it shifted into the worst thing possible... Buffy. It was all he could do to look at her/it with an axe in her/it's face. It was almost unbearable, but somehow he managed it. Closing his eyes, he used his hyped vampire sense to fight. He sliced and cut and fought with all his might, and he heard the last cry of the First, the devastating shriek of his true love. As soon as she disappeared though, he set his mind to killing the three parts left, the Master (easy enough, stake through his ancient heart), the Mayor (blow him up, again!) and Glory (decapitate was his plan). He set out to do all this, hoping Willow was backing him up with spells.

"Buffy? I need to put Willow to sleep. I can do it long distance, and it'll take a little of my energy, not much, but it has to be done. She will put her heart and soul into helping Angel, and that could mean the death of us." Amy said strongly. She was so different all the time, Buffy wasn't sure that she even knew herself.

"Alright. Will it take any extra power to put all of you asleep? Just in case?" Buffy asked.

"No, I'm sure it won't. But what if-"

"We'll have someone watch over you, don't worry." Buffy assured the young witch. Amy set to the task, gathering skullcap, and a tiger-eye stone. Buffy watched with concealed interest. She had seen Willow do the mojo a lot of times. She was curious to see if different witches' magic's worked differently. She remembered Willow smelling sweetly of strawberries every time she did a spell, but she didn't know if it was different for different people. As Amy chanted, her own lids grew heavy, but she knew it wasn't because of the spell. She had stayed up all night with Angel preparing, worrying and wondering. As the four girls fell asleep, Buffy told Illyria to watch them as she went to check up on a few things. Like Dawnie's new room.

"What? My... eyes... so... droopy." Willow yawned. She couldn't stay awake. She knew this was a spell. The aroma of plums surrounded her, and she knew instantly that this was Amy's doing. As much as wanted to, she couldn't stay awake. "Why-" She was asleep. And she couldn't do anything about it.

Angel felt some of the power drain from him, but he resisted the urge to look back at where he knew Willow was hiding. He couldn't let anything distract him. He almost had the beast destroyed. He had the Master dusted, the Mayor was done for (not blown up, but Angel was satisfied). He was having trouble with Glory...but he was sure he could get the job done.

After slashing, cutting, and diving, Angel had Glory at an advantage, she was pinned beneath his sword. He wished he could have just finished this by sticking the sword through her heart, but she was a God, and a Hellbeast, so he had to slice her head off. She was jeering at him.

"You call that an outfit? You're like a Versace cross Men's Warehouse nightmare!"

Though Angel knew what she was saying was out of spite, and she had no clue when it came to him, and his clothes, he thought it was a low blow. It made it easier for him to make that last slice, and silence her.

As Buffy watched her little sister wake up, along with Harmony, Kathy and Amy, she was glad she stuck around, instead of sleeping herself, and that she had Amy plan the spell that when the Beast was destroyed, they'd wake up. Not only would they wake up, but also when they did, it would be a sign that Angel was okay, or dead...

Buffy shook her head clear, and had someone send in dinner...or lunch. She had lost complete track of time, so she just called for food in general, meal for...lots.

"Buffy? What happened?" Dawn asked, sounding drowsy, but alert." Is it all over?"

"Angel beat him...and everything's going to be okay." Buffy summed up all the horror she was feeling into an optimistic phrase.

"It's over?" Kathy asked timidly.

"Yes, it is. Well, not completely, we-" Buffy cut a look at Wesley "-have some things to explain. But that can wait. Let's eat, and wait until Angel and Willow get back."

Amy went to get Gaia, who had, surprisingly, woken up at the same moment they had. She had a name for her, finally. Her name was Mercy, named because that's what Amy had begged for in her dream, over and over again, and her face just kept popping up. She was getting a hang of this maternal thing.

"Oh, and Dawnie, before we get any further into conversation, I have something for you." Buffy handed her little sister a small, electronic key.

"My own room? Awesome! Where is it?" Dawn jumped up with excitement.

"To the left of Kathy's." Buffy smiled warmly.

Willow woke, with Angel standing over her.

"Did...we...win?" She asked weakly. She also dreamt about Mercy, but she was reassured that Amy hadn't been acting with evil.

"Yah, Will, we won." Angel smiled, a rare site for the broody vamp Willow knew back in Sunnydale.

"You really have changed..."Willow smiled back, and got up.

"Let's make our way home, okay? It's almost sunrise."

They walked back, after Willow had healed Angel's more serious wounds, arm in arm in friendship. The gang was coming back together, and she hoped her few more days here would be fun without fights.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Immortal: the Virtual Series**__  
Episode 1.9: Enough is Enough_  
Written by: The Main Slayer  
Original airdate: August 14, 2004  
Rating: K+  
**NOTE**: course language and suggested sexuality

Angel sat at his desk listening to Hamilton drone on and on about, god only knows what. Angel added his 'yes' and 'what-are-you-talking-abouts' as he continued to "listen" to the newest member of the Wolfram & Hart team. Angel, truthfully, wasn't sure what he was actually talking about. All he knew was that some new demon client was coming into town and Angel had to take him on and deal with the case that was set before him. As Angel "listened" some more, he finally realized how much he hated this job. He hated every part of it; the people (except his own personal friends, and Buffy), the clients, the mindless work, the mountains of paper work her had to fill out, the numerous forms he had to sign, the meaningless chatter of the lawyers; he hated it all. Angel soon found that he was no longer listening to Hamilton and had lost half the conversation.

"Hamilton." Angel said.

"Yes, boss?" He replied.

"I have not being paying attention. I'm sorry. Could we pick this up some other time? I get it, okay. You don't need to remind me." Angel said as he rubbed his head.

"Oh. All right. I will come up and talk to you about it later."

"That would be great." With that Angel hung up on Hamilton and peeped Harmony. Harmony came into the office wearing, what she usually wore, a pink suit. Her hair was blonder than usual, meaning she just got her hair done. Angel smiled and waved her in.

"Harmony, can you do me a favour." Angel said as he got up out of his chair.

"Sure, boss. Anything."

"Get the jet fueled up will you. I need to take a little break from things." He said.

"Sure. Where are you taking Buffy?" She asked.

"I'm not taking her anywhere. Just do it and please don't tell anyone. If Buffy even asks tell her it's for business and I'll be back in a few days." Angel said as he went to the elevator.

"Sure thing boss. Where too?" She asked him before leaving the office.

"New York." Angel said as the elevator doors closed.

While Buffy was at work, Angel packed a small bag and had a quick shower. He wasn't sure what his plan was exactly but he would figure it out soon enough. Angel wrote a note to Buffy and left her a dozen red roses. Angel needed a few days to figure out if this was the line of work for him. He couldn't speak for the rest of Team Angel but he could speak for himself. Angel then turned and headed back to the elevator. Before leaving he paged Harmony.

"Yes?"

"Is the jet ready?" Angel asked.

"All set boss." Harmony reported.

"Good. Have the car waiting out front, I'm coming down." Angel said.

"Sure thing."

Angel then turned one more time. He looked at his penthouse. This is what he might leave behind. Was he crazy or was he being smart? Angel wasn't sure yet. He had no clue if what he was about to do would change anything. Would it make things better or make it worse? He would just have to wait and see. Angel headed to the elevator and pushed 'down.' He walked out the front door of Wolfram & Hart and got in his car. The driver started the car and was about to pull away when Angel stopped him.

"One stop first." He said. Angel handed the driver a piece of paper and the driver nodded. Angel had to make one stop before he headed out of town.

Connor watched as the large black limo came up the driveway. He wasn't sure what was going on but he was about to find out. His dad came to the window to see what he was looking at.

"What is it son?" His dad asked him.

"I have no clue." Connor said as he went to the door. Connor opened the door and watched as his real father stepped out of the limo. Connors dad headed out the door to great him.

"Angel. What a surprise. I wasn't, well we, and weren't expecting you. Please come in." He said to him as he shook his hand.

"Thank you. I know this is kind of sudden but, I didn't have time to call." Angel said as he followed him into the house. Since an invitation was already given there was no need to wait for another one. Angel walked across the threshold and looked at Connor. Connor smiled slightly and closed the door after Angel.

"Connor, will you show Mr. Angel into the living room."

"Sure." Connor replied and motioned for Angel to join him. Angel followed. Once they entered the living room, Connor turned and looked at the vampire.

"What are you doing here?" Connor asked. Angel sat down and took in a breath. Not that he needed too, but it was a way of showing that what he was about to say or ask would be hard for Connor to understand.

"I'm here to talk to you actually. If you don't mind." Angel said. Connor looked at him and sat down in a large armchair.

"Sure. What's up?"

"I have a favour to ask of you." Angel stated simply.

"What is it?" Connor asked as he leaned forward. Connor didn't know what was going on but he figured he should listen because, well, Angel was his real dad.

"I am going to New York for a few days and I was hoping that you would come with me." Angel said as he leaned back in the couch. Connor looked at him with a blank expression on his face. The look of why-does-he-want-me to-go-to-New-York?

"Why? What's in New York?" Connor asked.

"Nothing. Just some time together, maybe." Angel said. Looking at him, Angel saw himself as a young kid. Just starting out with his life and he wasn't sure of where it is going to go. Angel studied Connor while he thought of what Angel was asking him. Connor knew that what Angel did was for his own good, but he still had no idea why he was reaching out now.

"I don't know. I mean, it might get confusing for my...new parents...I guess. They may wonder why you want to take me on a trip to New York." Connor said.

"I have that covered." Angel said as he picked up his briefcase. Angel handed Connor some papers. They read, New York University Application.

"This is your cover story. To send me to university?" Connor said.

"Well, come on. I'm thinking on the fly here. How else would you come?" Angel said. Connor laughed at that. He was right, how else would Connors parents let him go.

"Sorry. Not laughing at you I swear. This is good. I've always wanted to go anyway. Maybe they will accept me, who knows." Connor replied. At that Connor's parents walked in the room.

"Mr. Angel what a surprise." Connor's mom said.

"Its just Angel." Angel replied as he shook her hand.

"Right, I'm sorry. So what are you doing here at this time of night?" She asked him. Connor answered that question by handing his dad the papers from NYU.

"NYU. Wow, son that is great. And you want to take him there?" He asked Angel.

"Yes. Well, I'm heading there for a few days on business and I thought it would be a great time for him to come down and check it all out without you, as his parents, having to pay a cent. Let it be my thank you for helping me out before." Angel said with a smile. Connor's dad looked to be thinking it over on the spot. _Maybe his dad would go for it and Connor and I can work on things._ Connor's dad looked at his son.

"What do you think? Is this what you want to do?" He asked. Connor thought about for only a moment.

"I want to go." He said. Connor's parents were a little surprised but they would never get in the way of their son's dreams.

"If it is what you want hunny." Connor's mom replied.

"It is. So, when do we leave?" Connor asked Angel.

"Tonight if possible." Angel replied. Connor looked at him with an are-you serious look. Angel only shrugged his shoulders.

"Tonight. That is a little soon don't you think?" Connor's mom said.

"Don't worry, mom. It's cool. I'll get a bag ready right now." With that Connor was up out of his chair and heading to his room. Connor's parents did look upset that their son was going to go to New York for a few days, so Angel tried to put their mind at ease.

"Don't worry. He will be fine. Trust me. I won't let anything happen to him. Believe me, nothing will ever happen to him." Angel said.

"We know. And thank you. This does mean a lot to him. And to us." Angel smiled and nodded his head. Within a few minutes Connor was packed and ready to go. Connor said goodbye to his family and headed out the door with Angel in tow. The driver opened the door for them and Connor and Angel climbed in.

"This is so cool." Connor said.

"Yeah," Angel replied, "yeah it is." Angel told the drive to head to the airport and Connor began pushing buttons and playing with the TV. Angel smiled, as Connor found out there was a Play Station in the limo. This was going to be a trip to remember.

Part 2

_Dublin, Ireland 1400_

Connor Patrick O'Hara had to get home. He had this horrible feeling that something was wrong. That something was happening. He raced through the streets knocking over people and crashing into food stands. He didn't care about the mess that he left behind or how angry the village people where. All he knew what that he had to get home to his wife. Something was wrong. He picked up speed as he tore down the streets of Dublin. He rounded the village Church and then stopped. For an instant he was distracted. He looked at the church and saw that the cross on the top of it had been torn down. He then realized that there was no need to go home, which he was looking for, was in that church. Connor walked to the entrance and opened the doors. He looked toward the alter. There was a man standing there, but he wasn't really a man. He was more like a monster. He was a short green looking thing with red eyes, yellow scales and long tale. He had large teeth and claws that seemed to go on forever. There were two horns that sat a top his head; the horns seemed to touch the church roof. Connor moved slowly toward the monster then stopped. His family, his wife and daughter, were tied to a large cross. Shock and terror spread across Connor's face and eyes. He moved a little closer.

"That is close enough." The monster bellowed.

"What do you want from me?" Connor asked with anger dripping from every word.

"You my friend. Only you." He replied.

"Why. What do I have to offer a creature such as yourself?" Connor asked taking another small step towards his family.

"You have a lot to offer me Connor Patrick O'Hara." The creature said. Connor looked even more surprised. How did he know his name?

"How do you know me?" Connor asked the monster.

"Oh, I have heard great things about you my friend. Great things," The monster said, "I have heard that you can kill men by the dozens; that you are a feared man among your people. I need a man like you."

"I used to be. Not anymore. I no longer kill men for profit or for anyone else. I am a good man. I have a family. I don't want any more trouble." Connor said taking another step.

"I thought I told you to stop moving." The creature bellowed again. His voice shook the walls of the church. The beast took a few steps away from the alter and walked towards Connor. Now that the creature was closed, Connor knew what he was. He was a demon of hell. He was here to take him for his sins committed against mankind. But why take his family? What had they done?

"Now you listen to me, demon. What ever the punishment is for what I have done, take it out on me. But leave my family out of it." Connor yelled sternly. The demon laughed.

"I have no interest in punishing you, you stupid fool. I want to make you an offer," The demon said as he stepped toward Connor, "My name is Stefan and I want you to join my elite group of assassin known as the Receivers."

"No. I won't. I told you, I am done with death and destruction." Connor said.

"Would you do it for your family? Would you join to save them?" The demon replied as three large looking dog-like men walked towards his wife and daughter. The little girl began to cry.

"NO! Please just leave them alone." Connor cried.

"Would you join me to save them?" The demon known as Stefan asked again. The dog-creature approached the young girl and she cried harder. She was so terrified and Connor could feel it. He watched, as the dog-creature liked his daughter's leg. The dog's mouth began to salivate. For fear that his family would did Connor gave his answer.

"Yes. I will. If you will let them go." Connor said.

"And I will. You have my word." Stefan replied. Connor lowered his head and awaited the transformation. It took only seconds to transform Connor Patrick O'Hara into an Immortal Receiver. During the process Connor paid no attention to the pain that seared through his body. He watched the dogs and how they circled his family. When the transformation was complete, Connor felt different. He felt strong and his body surged with power.

"Now, let them go." Connor demanded.

"No." Stefan replied.

"You said that if I joined you they would go free!" Connor shouted.

"Yes, I did. But you must soon realize Connor Patrick O'Hara, that I have a slight tendency to lie." Stefan said as he snapped his fingers. The two dog creatures, on that command, leapt onto the helpless woman and her daughter and tore them to pieces in the blink of an eye.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Connor cried as he watched his family be killed before his eyes. He fell to the floor of the church and tried to weep. But no tears fell. His body felt used and heavy.

"What have you done to me?" He asked the demon.

"Oh, did I not tell you have this works? Well then, I am terribly sorry. You are now a Receiver and your job is to collect the souls of all great warriors and champions in the world for me. That is your only position now. You no longer have any human emotions. You can no longer cry, feel regret, pain, passion, love, or any other human emotion. Emotions are weaknesses you see, and my Receivers can't deal with weakness. You will live forever, and as a part of your life you must ingest at least one human soul a day. Soon, this will be normal for you and you will forget your happy little family." Stefan said as he patted the dog's heads. Connor looked at the beasts as they obeyed the demon. Connor felt like a rock; there was nothing in him anymore. Everything had been stripped from his body and all that was left was a shell.

"Oh, and by the way, these are your dogs. They are called Lyphans. They are yours." Stefan said to his newly recruited Receiver.

"I don't want them." He replied as he stood.

"You have no choice. They are yours. They will follow you wherever you go. No questions asked. They will listen and obey you. You are their master now." Stefan moved from the dogs and headed towards Connor again.

"You are a stubborn man, Connor Patrick O'Hara. But you will soon come to understand the concept of all of this. Now, go and do what you are now programmed to do." With that Stefan left the church. The two Lyphans sat at the head of the church licking their mouths. Connor, if he were human, would be disgusted and would try to kill them. But now, with the way his body and mind had changed, he simply summoned the Lyphans and left the church.

Part 3

_New York City, 2004_

Angel and Connor landed in New York City at 3 am in the morning. The flight was quiet. Connor didn't have much to say to Angel other than a simple 'yes' and 'no' to his questions. Angel knew that Connor had nothing to say to him but he tried anyway. The ride to the hotel room was also quiet. Eventually Angel just gave up and stayed quiet. Angel attempted to tell his son about Buffy and his sister and what is going on in his life, however, when Connor paid no attention to his early conversation attempts Angel figured he should just leave it. Angel had booked two separate hotel rooms for himself and for Connor. There was a joining door, but that was beside the point. When Angel said goodnight to Connor and headed to his room a slight feeling of deja vu came over him. Angel had been in that hotel before, he knew he had, but he couldn't remember when. Shrugging it off, Angel went into his hotel room. Angel sat down on the king size bed in the large suite and picked up the phone. He was sure that Buffy would be wondering where he was, so he figured he should phone her and tell her were he was. Angel dialed the number to their penthouse and waited.

"Hello?" Came the voice of the Slayer on the other end.

"Hey." Angel said.

"OH MY GOD! Where they hell have you been?!? Where are you!?! How could you not tell me where you are or where you are going! I have been freaking out!!!!" Buffy yelled into the phone. Angel knew that was coming.

"I'm sorry. I just needed to get away. I was going to tell you, but I did it as a last minute decision. Baby, believe me I would have taken you with me, but you were at work, and I just...ah hell, I just left." Angel replied as he paced the room awaiting her response to his last minute decision to leave town.

"But, baby...I miss you." Buffy said. _Well that wasn't as bad as I was thinking of._ Angel thought as he sat back down on his bed.

"I know. I miss you too. I think I'm stressing out or something. I don't know how much more I can take of this job." Angel said as he laid down. Angel put his hand over his eyes and rubbed. He hadn't realized how tired he was until this very moment.

"I know. Work is stressful for everyone. But why would you leave me here with these crazy Wolfram & Hart people? They are crazy, I'm telling you." Buffy said. Angel could just see her pacing in the living room of their penthouse. He felt bad for leaving her, but he had to if he wanted to finalize his plans without Wolfram & Hart knowing.

"I know. I know. They are nuts, trust me I know better than you do. They have been trying to kill me for years, and now I run their company. Now that is nuts." Angel replied as he clicked on the TV.

"I guess. Where are you?" Buffy asked him.

"New York City." Angel replied as he went to the movie that he could buy at the hotel.

"Why are you there?" Buffy asked him. She had a lot of questions that Angel couldn't really answer at the moment. He would tell her, soon, but not now.

"Business." Angel lied as he went to the films that a young girl would be ashamed of. He may have a soul, but he still liked a good porn/horror flick from time to time.

"I don't believe you, but I'll buy it." Buffy said to him. He could tell there was worry in her voice. Angel guessed it was his job to ease her mind.

"Trust me, baby. Nothing bad will happen to me. It is just a meeting with some boss guys from other Wolfram & Hart's around the world. Really, you know me, I wouldn't lie to you." Angel said as he chose a movie and ordered it.

"Okay. But what the hell am I supposed to do while you are gone? I'm so fucking bored!" Buffy emphasized the 'fucking' part so that he would feel bad. Angel stood up thinking of what he could say to her that would make her feel better. While doing so Angel took off his jacket, shirt, and pants. Angel laid back down on the bed and awaited his movie.

"What else can I say to you. Baby, sorry, but you know me. When I get an idea in my head I just run with it. It's in my personality." Angel said as he shifted his weight. The movie started and he didn't want to be mean, but he wanted to get Buffy off the phone so he could watch.

"Fine. Be mean to me. I love you." Buffy said. Angel could see her sweet smile on her face as he closed his eyes and thought of her standing in the living room in...well at the moment he saw nothing, but he thought he should ask.

"Baby, what are you wearing?" Angel asked. As he said this, the actors in his movie started to get it on. Seriously. Angel closed his eyes and thought of Buffy some more.

"Why? Why do you want to know that?" Buffy asked. He could picture her smirk.

"Tell me." Was all he said to her.

"I'm wearing that little Teddy that you bought me for my birthday," Buffy replied. Angel knew the one. A smile appeared on Angel's face as he pictured it, "What about you, baby. What are you wearing?"

"Well, not a whole hell of a lot. I was just heading to bed." Angel said. If he knew Buffy as well as he knew he did, she was picturing him too. Angel was ready to convince her into a session of phone sex when there was a knock at the door.

"Oh, shit. Baby I have to go. There is a knock at the door. I love you and I will call you and we will continue this conversation. Just remember to wear the same thing." Angel said as he got up and pulled his sweat pants on.

"Or nothing at all." Buffy replied.

"That works too." Angel said. Angel told her he loved her again and they hung up. Angel was sad to have to hang up on her, but he did it. He had lost complete interest in his movie so he shut it off. Angel went to the door.

"Who is it?" He asked.

"Room service." Angel had forgotten. When he had arrived at the hotel he had told them who he was and they had prepared his dinner for him. Angel opened the door, got his mean, tipped the man, and shut the door again. Angel was ready to settle in for the night, even if Buffy wasn't with him. His mind wandered to his lover again, and that was the one thing that helped him to sleep at night. That he was going home to that.

_Wolfram & Hart_

Wesley sat at his desk thinking of how badly he needed a vacation from all of this. Wesley wasn't sure why he worked for this place, and then he remember Connor and his betrayal and all the things that led up to this job. Wesley took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He wasn't the only one who was feeling this way; Gunn, Lorne, Illyria, Harmony, everyone. They were all feeling the strain. And now with Angel gone, all the responsibility was on them. There was too much pressure. Wesley's only hope was that Angel came back, and soon.

Part 4

_Europe, 1690_

The Receiver had lots of work to do. His quota was low and he needed to bring it back up. It was time to get his souls. The Receiver had been following a family known as the Moore's for about a week now. He had to gather all their souls in order to reach his demand. The Receiver had planned his attack and it was time to execute. All the Receiver did was knock on the door with his large Lyphans by his side. The woman known as the "mother" answered the door. A look of shock came across her face.

"No. Please not my family. What have we done to you?" She pleaded trying to keep him out. Good, they knew why he was here. The Lyphans pushed into the house and the Receiver entered.

"You know why I'm here." He said to her. She nodded. The sent of fear wafted through the room. He could sense the "father" and three "daughters" and "son" upstairs. The woman backed up to the stairs attempting to block him from going up.

"Please, no. My family is good of heart and has done nothing wrong." She pleaded with him.

"I know. That is why I need you." The Receiver said as he signaled his Lyphans to attack. It didn't take them long to tear the old woman to pieces. The soul wafted to the Receiver as he absorbed its essence completely. Once complete, he headed up the stairs. The man of the house, he knew, was a hero of the town. He had done many things for the town, including donating all of his money to an orphanage. To this town, that was a hero and the Receiver had to collect. The young girls were asleep in their rooms. He knew that the son was with his father, so all it would take was one swift movement from the Lyphans and it would be done. The Lyphans looked at their master, as if awaiting approval to kill the sleeping girls. The Receiver nodded and the dog like creatures lunched for the sleeping beauties. The soul's wafted to the Receiver as he continued to the father's room. This was to be very easy for the Receiver. He opened the door and smelt the fear. A smile was on the Receiver's face, the was all too easy for him.

_New York City, 2004_

Angel stood in the living room of a gorgeous New York loft. There was a large sized master bedroom, two smaller sized rooms, two full baths, a spacious kitchen that had everything in that you could imagine, a large den/office, and more. This place had it all. It was fully furnished with all the bell's a whistles. Angel looked out of the bay windows and saw the beautiful New York scene. Angel had always liked the opportunities of New York City. It brought back memories of rats, but still, all well none the same. Angel decided to take one final look at the loft before he made his final decision.

He walked down a long corridor that ended in the master bedroom. Angel walked in a stood in the center of the room. There was large bay window with a small deck coming off it directly in front of him. To the left was a huge walk-in closet with a built in shelf unit. The bed was positioned directly opposite to the window so that when you sat in the bed you saw the glow of a city that never sleeps. The bedroom was already full furnished with solid oak furniture. A large dresser unit sat adjacent to the king sized bed and two small nightstands were placed on each side of the bed. The master bath was located to the right of the bed. There was a full shower and Jacuzzi tub with two sinks located on the left hand side. The colours of the room were all what Angel had expected, forest green with a touch of white.

Leaving the master bedroom Angel came across two smaller rooms. One was slightly bigger than the other, but you really couldn't tell the difference. One room was designed for a teenage girl, with pink and white accents. There was a vanity table with lights, and long white drapes hung from the window. A single bed was located on the right side of the room. A fair sized dresser took up the rest of the space along with a desk and computer and entertainment unit. There was a television set mounted to the roof equipped with a VCR and a DVD player.

Opposite this room was a room for a young, well man. A college room if you like. Same layout as the girls but with dark blue and black colours. There was a top of the line computer system in the right hand corner and with the same entertainment system as the other. Angel didn't want to miss anything that any kind of kid would miss out on. The bed was bigger, and the room itself spelled success.

After the rooms Angel visited the kitchen that was equipped with brand new appliances, brand new dishes, silver ware, knives, pots, pans, and much more. The cupboards were solid pine and a small island divided the kitchen from the dinning room. The dinning room and living room were attached as one unit. Both were fully furnished with only the best. Leather sofa sat along the far back wall while a modern day entertainment unit, sat opposite of it. There was fine china in the pine china cabinet and to complete the look, hardwood flooring.

There was also a den/office so that work could get done and another huge bathroom. There were so many great qualities about this loft that Angel loved. His most favourite was their private roof access that they had leading to a private roof balcony that contained a futon, two chairs and a table for outside dinners. A BBQ was also found to the left of the futon, which was positioned so that Angel could enjoy a sunset. There, of course, was a washer and dryer that were located in a concealed closet just as you entered the loft. Angel loved it. He loved every part of it and the reason why was that he didn't have to pay a damn thing for it. It was all on Wolfram & Hart's tab. Angel bought and paid for the loft in cash for the next 10 years. Angel had no worries about what he was about to do, all he had to do now was do it.

_Galway, Ireland, 1753_

The Receiver watched as Darla left him. She claimed that she had found someone more worthy of her time. The Receiver wanted to know whom this was. On the night of May 16, 1753, the Receiver followed the young vampiress to a local tavern. There he saw what she was looking for. A young man that had no sense of good moral other than to get drunk and sleep with women. This was what she wanted? A useless man who had nothing in his life? The Receiver didn't understand. He had given everything to that vampire! Everything! He had killed for her, bought for her, done everything he could possibly imagine for her. He had beat the Master in a duel for her, but she still choose and pretty face over Immortality. The Receiver decided he had to know why, and then he found out. He saw her change him. Turn him into a vampire unlike herself. So that was what she wanted, a half-breed like herself to roam the earth with. The Receiver watched as the stupid male allowed her to bite him and watched as he drank from her. The Receiver then felt something he hadn't in a long time, rage. He was enraged by what she had done and what she had chosen. At that moment he almost gave the signal for the Lyphans to attack and rip them to shreds, however, instead he decided to see what this vampire would make of himself. Who would he become? How much of a worthy opponent would he make? It didn't matter; all that mattered was the when the time came the Receiver would kill him.

Part 5

_New York City, 2004_

Angel was supposed to meet up with Connor half an hour ago. Like usual, Angel was running late. He had to hurry himself to the cafe that he told him to meet him in and when he got there Connor gave him the you're-late look. Angel shrugged his shoulders, ordered a coffee and sat down.

"So, what did you think of the campus?" Angel asked.

"It was cool. There are so many opportunities here it is unbelievable. They offer so much more than the other place I was going to. I really want to go here. I put in my application and they said that it shouldn't be a problem to get in here. It's crazy. All I had to do was go. But yeah, it was cool. So how was your day?" Connor asked as he took a sip of his coke.

"Not to bad. I finalized the deal on that new place that I told you about." Angel said. Connor looked at him oddly.

"I still don't know why you got a place so big. It's only you living there." Connor said. Angel had completely forgot. He hadn't told Connor about Buffy yet; better yet, he hadn't told Buffy about Connor. Angel decided now would be the best time to tell him all about her.

"Well, not exactly." Angel said. Connor gave him a look and Angel got into the whole story about him and Buffy. When Angel was done, Connor gave him a look of how-come-I'm-learning-this-now?

"Wow. I had no idea you guys were so into each other. That is crazy. She's a vampire Slayer and she loves you? That is too weird, but kind of cool all at the same time." Connor replied as he finished his drink.

"Yeah. I really do love her. She doesn't know we are moving here yet but she will soon enough." Angel said.

"I still don't get it, why the big place for the two of you? It's not like you are ever having anymore kids." Connor said with a laugh. Angel smiled and told him about his sister Kathy who was now staying with him and about Buffy's sister Dawn. Connor nodded and smiled at the appropriate times and Angel could tell that he wasn't really interested. Eventually Angel just gave in.

"Alright, you want to know why I asked you to come with me?" Angel asked.

"Yeah." Was all Connor said.

"I want you to come with me," Angel said flatly, "I know it is not my place to make you come with me, even if you are my son. I just, you don't understand, you are the only son I am ever going to have. Sure I'm not exactly father material, but if you give me a chance I can do it. I just want to spend time with you that time for us was taken and I want it back. Call me selfish if you have to, but damnit I deserve some kind of good things happening to me. Don't I?" Angel looked at Connor who looked back at him.

"Sure." Connor said.

"Sure? That's it, sure? What in the hell is that supposed to mean?" Angel asked him.

"Sure...well it can mean a lot of things, like okay, yes, I guess so..."Angel cut him off.

"Oh stop it would you. I get the joke and I know what the word means. But the context of the word. What did it mean for you?" Angel demanded of him. Angel looked at his son as his son thought of how to answer him.

"Well, I guess it means, sure I'll stay with you." Connor said evenly.

"Really? I mean you want to?" Angel asked him.

"Yeah. You are my real dad and I did help you save the world didn't I? I mean my life with my...parents...is cool and all, but it is not who I really am. I'm your son; the son of two vampires, I think it is about time I got to know that part of my life. Don't you?" Connor said to him as he ordered another coke. Angel was shocked at how Connor was taking all of this. He thought for sure that Connor would laugh in his face and tell him to get a life. But Connor was interested. He wanted to leave his happy life and start a new beginning with Angel.

"Well, alright. It's settled. We go back to L.A. and we get ready to leave. What are you going to tell your parents?" Angel asked him.

"Don't worry about them. I got it covered." Connor said as he downed another coke.

_The Boxer Rebellion 1900_

The Receiver knew that Angelus was faking it. He knew the soul would hold him back. All he had to do was watch the soul self-destruct the vampire. This was what he loved the most about vampires; they were self-destructive. His master hadn't asked for the vampire's soul only because he hadn't used it for good purposes. The Receiver didn't want it anyway, he knew that if he took it, Angelus would once again be evil and Darla would be swooned once more. So the Receiver sat back and watched as Angelus dug his own personal grave for himself against Darla. The Receiver smiled; he loved it. He couldn't get enough of it. Angelus, was over.

_Los Angeles, California 2004_

Angel and Connor flew back to L.A. 3 days after arriving in New York. Angel dropped Connor off and told him that he would call him in a few days about moving to New York with him. Angel arrived late to the Wolfram & Hart law buildings and was hoping to make an escape to the penthouse were Buffy was, but was bombarded by Harmony as he entered the building.

"Were have you been?!?" She demanded of him.

"You knew were I was." Angel said to her.

"So! What is your point! I have had to handle everything including having Wesley breathe down my neck telling me I was doing it wrong!" Harmony yelled at him as she threw her arms up in the air.

"Harmony, I just want to go to bed. Please. Can we talk about this in the morning?" Angel asked.

"Fine. But you have a huge meeting in the morning. The Mulatti Clan doesn't want to wait any longer for us. They want their meeting so Hamilton decided to book it for you." Harmony said as she grabbed her purse.

"Where are you going?" Angel asked her.

"Home." Was Harmony simple reply as she left the building. Angel sighed and headed upstairs. Angel wasn't sure if Harmony had told Buffy when he would be home, so he was more or less surprised to find the penthouse alight with candles. Angel put down his bag and walked through the penthouse. He could hear Buffy in the bathroom. He could hear the water running and then turn off. This would be the perfect opportunity to surprise her. Angel quietly went to their room and picked up the phone. He asked for two dozen roses to be sent to the penthouse ASAP. He also told them he would be waiting in the lobby for them so that they wouldn't let Buffy know they were there. Angel went back downstairs to pick up the flowers. Once they arrived he paid the delivery boy and went back upstairs. He could still hear her in the bath. Angel moved towards the door and saw that the door was open; just a crack but it was open nonetheless. Angel took a peek through the crack and saw that she was relaxing in a bubble bath with some soft music and candles. He smiled as he watched her. This was all too perfect. Angel slowly pushed the door open; he entered the room and shut the door. Angel knelt beside the tub and put the flowers in front of her face. The action made Buffy gasp.

"Oh my god." Buffy cried as she turned around. She sat up completely and turned to face Angel. Angel had a huge smile on his face.

"Hey you." Angel said. Buffy smiled and threw her arms around Angel.

"Hi!!!" She cried, "I missed you."

"I missed you too, baby." Angel said as he kissed her. Buffy didn't want to let him go. He was gone long enough. The kiss grew and Angel pulled Buffy to him. A slight moan escaped Buffy's lips. She pulled from him and smiled. Buffy looked at the beautiful flowers.

"Rose's for me. You shouldn't have." Buffy said as she took them from Angel and kissed him again.

"Oh it is the least I can do for leaving you here alone." Angel said. Buffy smiled her little coy smile.

"Well there is something you can do to make it up to me, other than flowers." Buffy said as she trailed a finger down his chest. Angel smiled. He knew what she wanted. But he was going to play dumb, just for her.

_Sexuality related material follows_

"And what could that possibly be?" Angel asked her as he removed his jacket. Buffy kissed Angel and began to help him. She unbuttoned his shirt and took of his belt. She hated the fact that he wore them. It was a pain in the ass to deal with. Buffy loosened he pants; Angel stood up and let them fall of his hips. Angel did the rest himself while Buffy watched him. They loved to watch each other. Eyes could say so much more than physical contact ever could. Angel climbed in the bath behind her and Buffy laid back down so that she rested in his lap. Buffy then settled her head on his shoulder and smiled.

"I missed you so much, Angel." Buffy said as she closed her eyes. Angel inhaled deeply and kissed the top her head.

"I missed you too. I'm really sorry I left without you. I had to though. I needed some time to think." Angel said as he wrapped his arms around her. Buffy imitated his actions by placing her arms around his.

"I know. Work can do crazy things to you and you work way to much." She said to him as she kissed his shoulder. Buffy loved to kiss him. It was like her way of claiming him and showing everyone that he was hers. Angel smiled and wrapped his arms tighter. He never wanted to let her go; never again would he leave without her.

"Yes it can. It really can. I am feeling it now. I don't think I can do this anymore. It's too much for me." Angel said as a look of stressed etched his gorgeous features. Buffy turned to him and saw the look.

"So what is your plan? It's not like you can leave?" Buffy said, "Can you?"

"I don't know," Angel replied, "I just don't know. I have no clue what they would say to that." Angel didn't know what more to tell the woman he loved, other than give her a look of worry that he may not survive at this job.

"Well, whatever you want to do, I will support you." Buffy said as she turned around again and got comfortable, or as comfortable as she could.

"Really? If I choose to leave, you would be okay with that?" Angel asked.

"Sure. I love you. I would do whatever made you happy as you would do the same for me." Buffy said as she sat up and picked up some bath foam. Angel took the sponge that she uses to wash herself with and filled it with the bath foam. He then proceeded to wash her back.

"I was actually thinking about it. I just don't like job anymore. I just want to move somewhere and start over; make a new life for you me, Kathy, Dawn and Connor." Oops. That was a slip of the tongue. Angel realized it when Buffy turned to him. _Here we go. _Angel thought.

"Who is Connor?" Buffy asked him. Angel sighed. Now was the time to tell her who Connor was and why Angel had kept it from her.

"Connor...Connor is my son." Angel said. Buffy's eyes went wide.

Part 6

The Receiver was ready. He was ready to execute his plan. It may mean that he former foe, Angelus would be back in the world, but he did what his boss asked him. His boss wanted Angel's soul. Angel had saved the world when the Slayer decided to sacrifice him to save the world. Not only that but Angel had spent countless amount of times saving the innocent people of the City of Angels as well as the little town of Sunnydale. Luckily for the Slayer, Slayers souls were off limits. It was a rule as part of being a Receiver, Slayers were there to keep the balance, if a soul of a Slayer was taken by a Receiver, that Receiver would lose his rights and be killed. This Receiver would leave the Slayer as requested, however, Angel would not be so lucking. The Receiver sat in his chair in the large lair that Sunny and the other vampires had provided. A couple of hundred years ago, the Receiver had figured out that vampire's can make great lackies when you give them the right opportunity. A lot of vampires in this town were interested in killing Angel as well as getting the Slayer. The Receiver would get what he wanted and the vampires would get what they wanted. It was a win-win situation.

Earlier in the night the Receiver had sent Sunny out to find Angel only to hear that he had left town. It took the Receiver about an hour to find the vampire again. He then sent Sunny out to New York City were he found out that Angel was planning a move. That was when the Receiver decided to take his fight to NYC and to Angel. He had sunny plant cameras in Angel's new New York loft. In all four bedrooms, living room, kitchen, bathroom, anywhere they could find, they put a camera. The Receiver wanted to know all of Angel's moves. He wanted to know what he was up against with the Slayer as his new girlfriend. She would protect him, because she loved him. The Receiver didn't know why but she did. While the Receiver was thinking of his new plans, Sunny entered the room.

"Hey boss..." Sunny said. The two Lyphans sat up and began to growl. The Receiver silenced them and waved a hand at the vampire. Sunny hissed at the dogs and looked to his boss.

"I hate those things, man. They creep me out." He said to him.

"I do not care what you think. They have been with me since the beginning and will be with me until the end." Was all he said to the vampire.

"Whatever, man. Look I just go word that Angel is leaving town tomorrow. He signed with the people that sold him the loft and he is leaving L.A. and Wolfram & Hart behind." Sunny said with a smile.

"Excellent. We shall leave tonight." The Receiver sat up and walked past Sunny. He signaled for his Lyphans to follow him. The Lyphans growled as they past the half-breed.

"Alright, boss. I'll tell the boys. I already have a place set up. Much nicer than this. I had a chance to look around and I think you're really..." But the Receiver cut off Sunny.

"I don't care what you found for me. All I care about is the vampire. Now, get me to New York. I am getting hungry and need something to eat." The Receiver left the room and left the vampire to put together a plan to move the troop to New York City. The Receiver smiled. His plan would be done, Angelus would be his.

Buffy awaited Angel's response. She wasn't sure if what she heard was true or Angel was just pulling her leg. Angel has a son? A son that is his? She was floored. What was she supposed to think.

"Look. It happened after I left Sunnydale. I still have no clue how it happened but it did. It was prophesied, there was nothing I could do to stop it." Angel pleaded with her.

"You could have kept your penis in your pants." Buffy said flatly. Angel could tell she wasn't impressed.

"Look, I'm sorry. It happened. He was born, then he was kidnapped and taken to a hell dimension, he grew up, came back, tried to kill me a few times, then had his memory wiped, then he got it back, but he lives with different people, but now he wants and I want to get to know each other again, its a whole big thing and it's really hard to explain." Angel said exasperated. Buffy looked at him; she was hurt. Soon she found herself going back to that night in the cemetery back in Sunnydale when they were talking about kids.

_"You know I can't." Angel had said._

_"Oh. Well I figured there were a lot of things vampires couldn't do like work for the telephone company or volunteer for the red cross...or have little vampires." Buffy had replied._

Buffy was mad. With her anger getting the best of her, she hit him.

"Ow!" Angel cried, "What was that for?"

"That was for having a little vampire without me!" She cried as she got out of the tub. She grabbed her bathrobe and left the bathroom. Angel got up himself and pulled his large rob over his shoulders.

"Buffy wait!" Angel said. Buffy didn't stop and headed for the bedroom. She sat down on the bed and allowed a few tears to fall. Angel quietly sat down beside her and attempted to put an arm around her shoulder. Buffy moved out of his way.

"Don't." Buffy said through tears. Angel tried again. This time he fell into his arms and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry. What did you want me to do? Call when he was born and rub it in your face? Tell you that I have a son and that I didn't care and say hahaha?" Angel asked her.

"No," Buffy said with a sniffle, "But, why wait till now? Why not tell me sooner?" Buffy asked as she looked at him. Angel smiled and cupped her chin.

"I don't know. I was thinking about him and went to see him and we had a great talk and he is looking forward to getting to know me. Not the vampire cause he already met him, but me; the man in me. He wants to meet you, though." Angel said. Buffy looked at him and smiled.

"Sure he does." Buffy said skeptically.

"He does," Angel said as he looked into her eyes, "Really. Buffy, I think it would be good for all of us if we got out of her. Moved away. To somewhere were we could start over and do different things that what we do now. You're not the only Slayer, so you're not tied. I hate this job and want to leave more than anything. So let's go. Let's take Dawn, Kathy, and Connor and lets leave." Buffy looked at him.

"Angel," Buffy started, "Where would we go? We don't have any money. What would we do for jobs? It's not like you can go and get a day job or anything."

"I know that. Don't worry. Trust me I have taken care of all of it. We won't have to worry about money, or where to live or anything like that. It's taken care of, all you have to do is say yes." Angel said to her. Buffy could see in Angel's eyes that he was serious. He wanted to leave. Leave all this behind him; Buffy wanted that too. She wanted a life with Angel and she wanted it to start fresh and new. Buffy smiled and wrapped her arms around Angel's neck. She kissed him.

"What is this for?" Angel questioned as he broke a kiss that he didn't want to break.

"This is my response." Buffy said as she kissed him again. Angel smiled as Buffy continued to kiss him.

"So you'll go with me?" Angel asked.

"Yes. Yes, Angel. I'll go anywhere with you." Buffy said as Angel pulled her down to their bed. Angel pulled Buffy to him and she pushed him on him and forced a moan out of his lips. Buffy smiled and continued. Angel rolled her over and did the same for her. Buffy couldn't get enough of the contact that her lover was giving her. They may not be able to make love, but they could make each other feel. When the kiss ended both Angel and Buffy were breathing heavily. Buffy smiled and moved her hands down to the small of his back.

"So, where are we going?" Buffy asked him.

"It's a surprise." Angel said. He leaned down to kiss her again.

"Mmmmm, I love surprises." Buffy replied as she kissed him again.

Part 7

The next morning Angel and Buffy packed up only their cloths and things that were necessary. Angel had transportation in New York already set up. Bought and paid for in cash like the loft that he had purchased. What Connor didn't know was the Angel had already paid, in full, for his education and had set up a job interview for Buffy. Angel had all the basis planned all he had to do now, was leave this job. First Angel had to talk to the team. They had to know his plan. He had asked that all of them join him in his office at 10 am sharp. They were not to be late. At 10 am Wesley, Gunn, Lorne, Illyria, and Harmony joined him in his office.

"What's up?" Gunn asked. That simply statement summed it up for everyone. Angel looked at his friends and smiled.

"I've come to a decision." Angel said to them simply.

"And that would be what?" Lorne asked him.

"I'm leaving Wolfram & Hart and I want you all to come with me, if you want of course." Angel said to them. His friends looked at him like he was crazy. The only one that didn't look at him that way was Illyria. But then again, she didn't really show too much emotion anyway.

"Angel, we can't just get up and leave. We signed a contract." Wesley said to him.

"I know. I have gone over it." Angel said as he pulled out all of the contracts. He dropped them on the table and opened Wesley's to a page that he had highlighted. He motioned for Gunn to pick it up. Gunn picked up the contract and read the highlighted portion. Gunn looked surprised.

"Wow. Didn't think they would do that." Was all he said.

"What?" They all asked him. Off their look, Gunn continued.

"It says that we can leave. Right here in the contract. It says at anytime, if the boss, meaning Angel, feels the need to leave, it exempts us all and we are free to leave as well." Gunn replied.

"How come we didn't know that before?" Lorne questioned.

"I bet the figured they didn't need to tell us because Angel would want to stick around." Gunn replied as he put the contract back down.

"Well, I don't." Angel said.

"It can't be that easy." Wesley said.

"It's not," Angel replied, "I have to sign another contract with them in order to do it. Meaning, that if they need me in the future, say for example to do them a favour of oh say killing someone they want dead, they have power over me. They can make me do it."

"So you will be an associate of W&H, but more like an assassin they can use whenever they want to?" Gunn stated simply.

"Yeah. That pretty much sums it up." Angel said.

"It's not good for you Angel. What if they make you kill and innocent person?" Wesley questioned.

"I know it's risky, but I want out. I will only do this if all of you want out too." Angel said and waited for their reply. Lorne was the first one to say something.

"I do," Off the groups looks Lorne explained, "I...this isn't me. I am a entertainer, not a fighter. I was never good with this stuff. I just want to give my life a second shot. Get Caritas back. That is all I want, my simply life back. Sure I will miss this, but I just want to be me again." Lorne sat down and looked at Angel. Angel nodded. He knew that Lorne would want out. Harmony was next.

"I don't want you to put your life out for me boss, but if you are not around, what do I have left. You're my boss. I go where you go." She said to him. Angel smiled at her with thanks. Angel waited for Illyria and the guys to answer him. Illyria was next.

"I do not care. You are all beneath me. With freedom I can do what I wish." She said to them. Angel didn't like what she said, but he knew that if Wesley agreed she would go with him.

"Hey, man," Gunn said, "You're the boss, boss. I never liked this job anyway. Too much pressure. I'm with you Angel." Angel smiled and looked to Wesley. For the first time, Angel saw age in Wesley's eyes. He was tired and Angel knew and Angel knew that Wesley knew it.

"Let's get the hell out of here." Wesley said. Angel smiled and told them to pack their things. All the ins and outs were covered and they all had places to stay and cars to drive. Angel asked Harmony one final favour as his secretary to call Hamilton into his office.

Hamilton was interested to find out what Angel had to tell him. He walked up to Angel's office and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Angel said. Hamilton opened the door and saw suitcases on the floor.

"Are you going on another trip there, boss?" Hamilton questioned.

"Something like that." Angel said as he walked to his desk. Angel picked up his contract and walked back to the Senior partners lackey. There was another piece of paper in Angel's hand. It was the waver of his rights as CEO that he had signed earlier that day. Angel passed the papers to Hamilton and waited for his reaction.

"You're leaving." Hamilton said.

"That's right." Angel replied.

"You can't do this to us! We are Wolfram & Hart!" Hamilton cried.

"Well, if you really wanted me to stay you should have taken out the pesky little clause that stats that I can leave at anytime so long as I sign this. And when I do, my friends go too. No questions asked." Angel said as he walked away from Hamilton.

"Oh and by the way, don't bother talked to the rest of them. They are already gone. They left last night," Angel said as he picked up his suitcase, "Oh, sorry one more thing," Angel walked over to his desk and picked up a pair of keys, "I'm taking the Viper." Angel winked at Hamilton and walked out the front doors of a law firm that he never wanted to see again. In the background Angel could hear Hamilton scream. Angel smiled to himself and got in the car. He headed for the airport and got on the plan and never looked back.

When Angel arrived in New York, Buffy was waiting for him at the airport. Buffy ran to Angel and leapt into his arms. She kissed him and smiled.

"You did it." Buffy said to him.

"I did." Angel replied. Buffy hugged him and kissed him again. In the corner of her eye she could see a young man get off the plane. Buffy released Angel and looked at him. Angel turned and motioned for him to join them. The young man did.

"Buffy," Angel said, "This is Connor. Connor this is Buffy."

"Hi." Buffy said as she shook his hand.

"Hi." He said back. Connor smiled and Buffy smiled back. She gave Connor a hug then put her arms around Angel. Angel smiled and picked up his bag.

"Let's go home." Angel said as Buffy, Connor and Angel left the airport. Buffy had already been to the loft and was extremely impressed. So were Dawn and Kathy. They may have had to share a room, but they were happy nonetheless. Buffy found that Angel really had covered the basis; she had a new job, a new car, Volkswagen Bug in her favourite colour to be exact, and well everything. Angel had done it all and with Wolfram & Hart's money. They had no worries for the moment and life was good. What the trio didn't know what that while they were leaving the airport to return to their happy new life, they were being watched.

The Receiver watched as Angel and his new happy family left the crowed airport in New York. He smiled. Angel may be getting his life together, but what he didn't know what that the Receiver was about to make it come crashing back down. The Lyphans were at his side and they growled with greed as they watched the woman and the boy leave with the vampire. They wanted they're pray, and soon they would have it. The Receiver was ready for his plan to begin, all he needed was the opportunity to strike. Angel's soul would be his, and his revenge against the vampire that took his life and destroyed his reputation as a Receiver would be complete at last.


	10. Chapter 10

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**

Episode 1.10: A New Day

Written by: The Main Slayer

Original episode airdate: August 21, 2004

Alternate episode airdate: May 7, 2007 

Rating: K+

Los Angeles 1997

Angel watched her. The Slayer as she moved through the cemetery on her first night out. She was so young, so innocent. Angel had to protect her in every way possible. He had to make sure she lived through the night. That was his purpose now; that was the reason for his existence. He had to keep this young soul alive. While Angel watched her move through the tombstones he noticed a shadow following her. _What is that?_ Angel thought. Angel's attention left the newly found Slayer and concentrated on the shadow that seemed to be watching and following. Then Angel saw it, a Lyphan. _The Receiver._ Angel thought to himself. Angel and The Receiver went way back and at this moment he went back to the time where the Receiver swore revenge on him...

_The Receiver had found it's new victim. He was ready to steal the soul of a warrior that had saved two villages from near destruction during a civil war. This soul would make the perfect addition to his collection. The Receiver had been following this hero for days now. The Lyphans were sent out every night to gather intel on their latest victim. After a week, the Receiver was ready. However, the Receiver wasn't the only one with eyes on this particular hero. When the Receiver entered the compound where the so-called hero stayed he found that someone had already been there. The Receiver walked to one of the dead men; on his neck were a pair of bite marks. Vampires! He had been beat by vampires. A rush of fear hit the Receiver, his hero! He raced through the camp only to find more death and carnage. In front of him was the hero's tent. The tent had been torn open. The Receiver entered the ten only to find one man standing there. He wasn't a man; he was a vampire._

_"You!" The Receiver bellowed._

_"Me." Angelus replied as he turned around._

_"You did this! How could you do this!" The Receiver demanded of him. The Receiver took two steps towards Angelus and grabbed him by the collar._

_"How could I do this? Well, I was hungry and I fed." Angelus replied as he pushed the Receiver off of him._

_"You killed my hero. I needed that soul!" The Receiver cried. As the Receiver cried out, the Lyphans mimicked him._

_"Your hero. I didn't know people came with property tags now." Angelus said as he moved away from the body of the so-called hero. The Receiver saw what was left. Nothing. Nothing but an empty body with no soul. The Receiver was ready to strike Angelus, but Angelus was already out the door._

_"Got to be faster than that." Angelus reported._

_"One day Angelus! One day! I will seek my revenge on you. You have set me back! Set me back and cost me more years on my curse!!!" The Receiver yelled._

_"You know you need to let up. Revenge. Haha. I will believe it, when I see it." With that final comment Angelus left the Receiver alone in the compound with his dogs. As Angelus left he could hear the Receiver bellow in pain as his master extended his curse. Angelus smiled. He loved to see others in pain; especially Immortals._

Angel watched him. He wouldn't let the Receiver hurt this new Slayer. Angel was sure that he loved this new Slayer, but he didn't know. He didn't understand the new feelings that were emerging because of this soul. Anger washed over him as he pictured the Receiver killing this young girl. She couldn't help being the Slayer; it was destined. This is not fair! Angel moved towards the Receiver only to find that he was just watching. He wasn't going to do anything. At least not yet; Angel looked back to the new Slayer then turned his attention back to the Receiver, but the Receiver was gone. Angel moved to where the Receiver was standing and looked around.

"Relax, Angelus," The Receiver said behind him, "It is not her time yet." Angelus wiped around and was ready to attack him.

"What are you doing here?" Angelus demanded.

"I am watching. That is what I do. I watch." The Receiver moved past Angel and watched the Slayer move. Angel kept a close eye on the Receiver and the two Lyphans that were behind him.

"You can't have her. I won't let you." Angel spat at him.

"Relax would you. I don't want her. Besides, I can't have her. Her death will come later. Much later. I am not watching her." The Receiver said to him.

"Then who are you watching?" Angel asked him.

"You." The Receiver replied. With that the Receiver left. Angel watched him and then turned his attention back to the Slayer. She was gone. Angel looked for her, but she was gone. Angel figured he should go back to Whistler but he couldn't help but feel that the Receiver was still watching him. The revenge would come, Angel knew it; that time would come for now, he had to help the Slayer.

New York, 2004

The sun spilled into Buffy's new room. She cracked her eyes only slightly to see that the shades were already open. Buffy stretched and made a soft moan. She could smell coffee and pancakes. Angel must have gotten up early to make breakfast for the new crew. Buffy sat up in bed and looked out the window. The city of New York was already buzzing with noise and honking horns. Buffy got out of bed and picked up one of Angel's large shirts. As she put the shirt on she walked to the window. Buffy looked out the bay window and smiled. New town; new start. Buffy was ready to start her new life with Angel and make it the best life she had ever had. Buffy left the bed as it was and headed out the door. She walked down the hall to see that all three of the teenagers were up. Connor's bed was made, however the girls were not as organized. Buffy smiled at the mess and headed to the kitchen. When she entered the kitchen, she found that the three teenagers were sitting at the table eating breakfast and Angel was behind the stove cooking. Buffy smiled and walked over to him. He looked good; no shirt semi-messy hair; good Buffy was so in love with him. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. Buffy then kissed his back.

"Morning." She said to him.

"Morning." He said back. Angel turned around and kissed her. Buffy wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled as they kissed.

"You guys are sick." Dawn said as she ate her food. Buffy looked at her and gave her a stay-out-of-it-Dawn look. Dawn stuck her tongue out at her sister and went back to her breakfast. Buffy smiled and turned her attention back to Angel.

"So what is for breakfast?" She asked him.

"Pancakes and coffee." Angel said as he turned back to his frying pan.

"Mmmmm. The perfect yum." Buffy said as she kissed him again. Buffy went to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup. She took her coffee and sat down at the table and claimed a section of the newspaper. Connor was engrossed in a book and Kathy was reading the comics from the newspaper. Buffy smiled at the "little family" and went back to the newspaper. Connor looked up at her; Buffy looked back.

"What?" Buffy asked him.

"Nothing." Connor replied and went back to his book. Buffy looked perplexed but shook it off. Buffy was about to continue to read her paper when she realized that Angel hadn't told her where her new job was.

"Angel?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah." Angel responded.

"Where is this new job of mine?" Buffy asked him as she put the paper down.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot." Angel replied. Buffy looked at him.

"Well are you going to tell me or are we going to play '20 Questions'?" Buffy asked him. Connor snickered at the remark and Angel gave him a glare. Connor stopped and went back to his book.

"I'll tell you. It is working with the law-enforcement here in New York." Angel said to her.

"WHAT! Polyester! As in POLICE! Are you out of your mind!" Buffy screamed at him. Angel smiled at her sudden rage and looked over to her.

"No, not polyester. Baby you are going to work out of the new Special Operations unit with the NYPD. Meaning, unexplained mysteries such as vampires and demons," Angel said to her as he sat down opposite to her at the table, "That way you don't have to hide that you are the Slayer and you can continue to fight the things that go bump in the night."

"So I'm a cop, but not a cop?" Buffy asked him.

"Right. Your not the only one though," Angel said, "I'm doing it too. Only I work at night and you during the day. In ways, it is complicated we have to be down there for noon." Angel replied as he grabbed the paper. Buffy was floored for a second. Angel had actually gotten her a legally paying job that allows her to hunt vampires and demons. It was actually kind of cool.

"Well, I guess Anya was right after all," Buffy said. Off Angel's look Buffy explained, "She said I should charge people for saving their lives, and look what is going on, I am. In a way."

"Well there you go. It sounds like a plan." Angel said as he leaned over the table and kissed her. As if on queue, Connor, Dawn and Kathy all said "ewwwww." Angel and Buffy smiled and went back to their breakfast. _This was going to be an interesting day_. Buffy thought as she bit into her first pancake.

Part 2

The Receiver had heard that the government operation known as the Initiative was based in New York ever since the Sunnydale project was shut down. New York, although not a hellmouth, was still a mystical gathering for evil creatures. During his time following Angel, a man known as Riley Finn came off as a man who hated Angel as much as the Receiver did. The Receiver decided to enlist the help of the Riley Finn in his conquest to destroy Angel. It wasn't hard to get into the operations unit; there were no heavy guards and the Lyphans could walk right through the opening. Once through the guards came; it seemed it was easy to get in, but never easy to get out. With a smile, the Receiver told the men what he wanted.

"I wish to speak with a man called Riley Finn." He said to the storm of commandos. The Lyphans teeth gleamed in the light and the soldiers started to give off the intoxicating scent of fear. Without hesitation, the soldiers took him to Riley Finn. They didn't even ask what he wanted with the leader, they just made a path and let him walk straight through. At the end of a long corridor there was a door. The Receiver opened the door and sitting at his desk was Riley Finn.

"Can I help you?" Riley asked.

"Yes you can." The Receiver answered. Once inside the room, the Lyphans were instructed to lay down and stay. The Receiver took up a chair in front of Riley and looked at the leader of the Initiative.

"I'm going to tell you now, the Initiative doesn't do well with threats or intimidation. If you are here to talk and not destroy then we shouldn't have a problem." Riley said to him with a stern look. The Receiver laughed.

"I am not here to intimidate your, Mr. Finn. Just to give you a small proposition. That is all." The Receiver smiled as he said this and leaned back in his chair. Riley thought for a moment and then answered.

"What would you like to propose?" He asked.

"Angel. What does that name mean to you?" He asked the young soldier. In a split second the Receiver could feel the anger and hatred radiate off the young man. This was the response he was hoping for.

"Oh, I hate him. He is a vampire and should be killed. Soul or no soul, he is deadly and should be stopped." Riley said. But the Receiver knew better. It was a personal thing; he could tell that. Riley hated the vampire for more than the fact that he was a vampire.

"There is more to it than that." The Receiver stated simply.

"Yes, but my personal hatred toward him is a revenge kind of deal. What do you want with him anyway?" Riley asked.

"I want his soul and I need you to hold him with your fancy equipment." The Receiver said.

"His soul? How do you propose you get that?" Riley asked him.

"I am the Receiver. I collect souls as a bounty; souls of great men and heroes; men who have saved the world. Lucky for Angel he has saved the world. My boss wants me to collect. It is a big deal to have the soul of a reformed vampire; I will not miss this target but I can not do it alone."

"So you want the Initiative to capture Angel and hold him for you? After you take the soul?" Riley asked the man in front of him, if he were a man.

"Yes. I can very well have Angelus running around stopping me now can I. Angelus and I go way back and if he were to be free at the time, he would kill me for sure. It is your job to keep him incarcerated." The Receiver bent down and petted one of his large dogs. He could see Riley thinking about the plan and then he could see that Riley was ready to start.

"How am I going to get him? He is in L.A. isn't he?" Riley asked.

"No. He has moved to New York with his son Connor, his sister Kathy, his girlfriend Buffy Summers and her sister Dawn. You can capture him here." The Receiver replied. He could see that the name Buffy struck a cord with the soldier. That is his personal revenge, Angel with Buffy. The Receiver smiled, revenge because of lost love was the best type of revenge that existed because it was pure.

"Alright. I hate him enough to do this, when do we start?" Riley asked.

"Soon. For now, Sunny will be your eyes and ears to what is happening with Angel." The Receiver replied. Sunny, the vampire lacky, stepped out of the shadows and tipped his hat to the leader of the Initiative. Riley stood and shook his hand. He could tell by the handshake that Sunny was a vampire. Riley sat back down and listened to the Receiver's plan. The more Riley listened the more Riley liked. Angel was about to get his and there was no way to stop it.

For that last 12 hours, Buffy and Angel spent their time listening to their new boss and finding out what their role was in the new Special Operations Unit with the LAPD. They received badges and ID so that when asked, they had the right material. They were told what cases the could and could not work on, what methods to use, what the policies were, and more things that they couldn't fully understand without the help on a special opps guide that was handed out. Two other women and one other man joined Buffy and Angel. They were all to join the Special Opps. team and were all expected to abide by the law at all times. Angel was given the lead and Buffy was the second. As far as work was concerned Angel was her boss and she had to do what he asked. By the time they got out of there it was already nightfall and the Captain wanted to talk to Buffy. Buffy walked down the hall and knocked on the door.

"Come in." She heard from the other side of the door. Buffy opened the door and walked in.

"You wanted to see me?" Buffy said to him.

"Yes, Miss. Summers. Please come in." The Captain put his paper work down and waited for her to sit. The Captain's name was Tim Walton. He seemed like a nice enough guy and Buffy was looking forward to working as part of a team unit again.

"So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Buffy asked him as she sat down.

"I have heard that you are the Vampire Slayer," The Captain said to her without hesitation. Buffy was nervous but she still listened, "I hope and trust that even though you and your boyfriend are stronger than the rest of my team that you will not step on the toes of the other members." Buffy stared at him with a blank expression.

"Okay I have a few things, first how did you know that I was the Slayer?" Buffy asked him.

"I have a friend in the Initiative and he told me." That was simple enough.

"Second, what makes you think I'm going to step on anyone's toes?" Buffy asked again.

"You are special. A true miracle of the supernatural world. You can move faster than the others and can fight better than my best officers I just need to know that you are going to play by the rules." He replied.

"Sir, I promise, even though I am special, I won't be stepping on anyone's toes. That is not my job. I will just do whatever I'm told to do. I have been doing it all my life." Buffy said to him. She was a little nervous with the fact that the Initiative didn't have a problem telling the world who she was and she wasn't sure what the Captain would do with the information.

"Alright I glad that we got that out of the way. Now I'm sorry that your boyfriend is your boss but he is the most experienced and does come recommended. I hope that won't be a problem for you." Obviously he didn't care what Buffy thought so she figured that she might as well play along.

"No it's no problem. Angel and I work well together, it shouldn't be a problem." Buffy said.

"Good. Now that is all I wanted from you. I will see you tomorrow." With that the Captain went back to his paper work and Buffy let herself out. When Buffy met up with Angel he was already out on an assignment.The NYPD had Angel doing some crazy stakeout at an office supply wearhouse that was said to have vampire activity. Before Angel left for the night, Buffy kissed him and left for home. Buffy had to take over for Angel in the morning if nothing happened. On her walk home, Buffy spotted someone she never thought she would see again.

"Riley!" Buffy yelled. Riley turned around to see the Slayer coming towards him. _The game has begun._ Riley thought as he smiled back. When Buffy got to Riley she gave him a hug and smiled at him.

"Hey. What are you doing here?" Buffy asked him.

"Well I live here." Riley said to her.

"I get that. But why didn't you tell me?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know. I never got around to it I guess." Riley said as he turned to walked down the street. Buffy followed him curious as to why he was being so cold towards her.

"What's new with you?" Buffy asked him.

"Absolutely nothing." Riley replied. His newfound friend told Riley that in order for Angel to come out of hiding he had to be mean to Buffy. It would make Angel mad and that would make him come out to play.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asked him.

"Fine. Why?" Riley said.

"Well you seem a little cold?" Buffy replied.

"Buffy, look. It is nice to see you and all but don't presume to know me, okay. I'm fine so stay out of it okay." Riley said to her with a cold icy-stare to follow.

"I don't know what you problem is, asshole but I don't deserve this. All I did was come and say hi to you and find out what is new in your life. I don't deserve to be treated this way. Remember I'm not the one who bailed. So get over yourself okay. Let's just not talk. Ever again." Buffy moved away from him and went in the opposite direction. Riley watched as she left and smiled to himself. He had loved Buffy sure, but she never loved him. All the pain he went through because of her, it was time for a little payback against her and her vampire ass of a boyfriend. Riley was going to love this assignment; he was going to love every minute of it.

Part 3

When Angel got off, Buffy was told that her services weren't needed. During the night Angel had wasted all 12 of the vampires with the help of the unit. Their job was done until the next time. When Angel got home, Buffy told him about Riley. Angel's anger consumed him.

"The fucking bastard! After everything that you did for him he treats you like shit because you said hi?" Angel yelled.

"Well, he was just cold. I didn't read too much into it but he was icy towards me like he didn't want me anywhere near him. I have no idea what that was about because the last time I talked to him he and I were okay. We had gotten past it." Buffy said as she sat on the bed and thought.

"Who gives a shit. Riley is a little son of a bitch who thinks he knows everything. He is not worth anything except a pile of shit that people walk all over." Angel yelled again as he paced the room.

"Angel..." Buffy said.

"No! That isn't fair. What a fuckshit. I can't believe him. If I see him I swear he is going to be in the hospital for months!" Angel declared as he sat down next to Buffy. Buffy put a hand on Angel's shoulder and looked into his eyes. She could see the rage that controlled his eyes. She hadn't seen rage like that since he was Angelus. For a moment, it scared Buffy.

"Angel please. This isn't right. We have no idea why he got so cold all of a sudden. Maybe he was having a bad day." Buffy said to him. Angel looked at her perplexed.

"Are you making excuses for him?" Angel asked her.

"No. I'm just thinking that is all. Trying to look at the whole picture." Buffy said as she ran a hand through his hair.

"Maybe. But I still think he is a fuckshit and if I do see him, I may beat him." Angel replied as he moved in to kiss her.

"Angel..." Buffy said seductively.

Edited for sexual content, what follows is the alternate scene 

There was no place in the world that Buffy wanted to be more than right here in Angel's arms. She had waited so long to be with him and there was a time she thought she would never get there. As Angel lay beside her sound asleep in her arms Buffy thought about the first time they had met.

"_I know what you're thinking, but don't worry I won't bite."_ At the time Buffy wasn't sure who he was, other than someone who was gorgeous and wanting to help her. Touching his face lightly Buffy sighed. He really was perfect; there was nothing in this world that would pull her away from him now. Closing her eyes, she transported herself to the very first time Angel said that he loved her. A moment she had waited for a long time:

"_Buffy I.." Angel began. Buffy turned to face him locking eyes with him and waiting._

"_You, what?" She asked and pushed him. Squaring her shoulders, Buffy prepared herself for what Angel had to say._

"_Buffy, I…I love you." Her eyes widened as she replayed the words on her mind, "I try not to, but I can't stop." Tears fell down her face as she took in a breath._

"_Me too, I can't either." Buffy kissed him. Angel kissed back. The kiss intensified as they moved closer together. Angel stopped the kiss._

"_Buffy maybe we shouldn't…" Buffy cut him off._

"_Don't, just kiss me."_

And now here she was. In his arms and nothing bad would ever happen to them again. They would be together forever and that word now carried meaning and reality for her. Opening her eyes she saw Angel looking at her. Buffy smiled as he looked at her.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself." Angel ran a finger down her cheek and smiled, "What are you thinking about?"

"The first time we met; the first time we made love." Angel smiled.

"Those were good times." Buffy laughed.

"You have the strangest sense of humor. I wouldn't exactly say loosing you was good times."

"That's not what I meant." Angel said.

"I know, I know that's not what you meant." Buffy moved into Angel as his arms surrounded her. She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. Sighing, Buffy closed her eyes again and allowed sleep to envelope her. Angel smiled as Buffy slumbered in his arms. Closing his eyes, Angel allowed himself a few moments of perfect sleep. He didn't sleep long, because he knew that more danger awaited them and that they would have to be on their guard until the threat of the Receiver was over.

The Receiver was pleased with the beginning of Riley's work. His plan was going to been complete once the right factors had been considered. The Initiative had already begun the creation of a cell for Angelus once the demon was released. The best security and the best security system would be watching him 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Angelus would never be able to get out. Sunny had reported that Riley was already in contact with the Slayer and already causing her pain and discomfort. Sunny also reported that Riley was enjoying himself; this pleased the Receiver. He hadn't expected him to take pleasure in this, but if Riley enjoyed to destroy her and her vampire then the Receiver wouldn't object. As Sunny left the Receiver had another thought.

"Send Riley to me." He stated simply.

"Yes boss." Sunny replied and left. Not two minutes later Riley entered the room.

"I hear you are enjoying yourself." The Receiver stated.

"Yes. Yes I am. I didn't think I would, but I am." Riley said as he sat down in the chair that was offered to him.

"I wish to step up on Angel a little bit." Interested Riley leaned forward.

"What did you have in mind?" Riley said to him.

"I want you to test his skills. His fighting abilities. I wish to know what I will be up against." The Receiver said to him as he opened a box and threw what looked like a piece of meat to his Lyphans. Interested still, Riley leaned forward some more.

"So you want me to fight Angel?" Riley said.

"Yes."

"I want to, but the last time I fought him, I didn't win." Riley said.

"I understand," The Receiver said, "My men will be there to pull you out. You will not be harmed." Riley was ready. He wanted another shot at the so-called vampire that was better than him.

"You got it. I've been dying to take him on again. How do you propose we do that?" Riley asked as he sat back in this chair.

"Don't worry about that one. I will get him there." The Receiver said. With a smile Riley picked up the glass of wine on his table and took a sip. This was going to be fun.

Sunnydale California, 1998

The Receiver had been following Angel for centuries. He had to destroy him if it were the last thing he did. The Receiver watched as Angel took on countless amounts of demons and vampires trying to make amends for his time as a vampire. He watched as the Slayer and the Vampire became more involved. He watched as the Angel became the Slayer's undoing. The best night of the Receiver life was when Angel was killed to save the world. Angel was finally a hero. Within seconds of Angel being sent to hell, the Receiver's boss appeared to him.

"I want his soul." His boss said to him.

"Yes, Master. His soul shall be yours." The Receiver replied. His Master nodded and left. This was the moment that the Receiver was waiting for; to get his final revenge on the vampire that added centuries to his curse. This was his time to prove that he, The Receiver, was the better man. However, it would take the Receiver 6 years to figure out the right plan of attack. But all that would pay off when Angel's soul was finally his.

Part 4

New York, 2004

Riley was told to wait in Central Park. Riley was told Angel would be there at 10 o'clock sharp. Riley waited. At 10 o'clock Angel arrived in the park, and he wasn't alone. A vampire was running for his life from the vampire. Riley smiled. He watched as Angel dusted the vampire and moved to leave the park. Riley wasn't about to let that happen.

"Hey Angel. Long time no see." Riley said as he walked towards the vampire. Angel looked up to see Riley walking towards him. Angel remembered what Buffy had said, but at that moment he didn't care.

"Riley Finn. Buffy told me she ran into you. Said that you were kind of mean to her." Angel said as he moved towards the man.

"Yeah well what can I say. She hurt me, so it's time to hurt her back." Riley said. Riley knew that that comment alone would piss Angel off.

"She hurt you. What the fuck are you talking about? You hurt her is more like it." Angel spat at him. Anger dripping off his words. Riley laughed.

"She is the one who made the move back to vampires. Not me. I gave her my life and she chewed it up and spat me out. She's the bitch, not me." Riley said. Riley could see the anger in Angel's eyes. This was going to be a good fight.

"You bastard. How dare you speak about Buffy like that! You are going to eat those words boy." Angel said as he lunged for Riley.

Riley wasn't very good as surprise attacks so he didn't expect Angel to move so fast. Riley was knocked backwards and Angel rolled over him and got back up on his feet. Riley got up and was ready for the next attack. Angel attempted to punch left but Riley blocked him. Angel moved his left hand out and connected with Riley's check. Riley lost his balance and fell down. Angel moved over to him but Riley's foot connected with Angel's midsection. Angel stumbled backward and lost his footing.

"Riley you were always pathetic. You were never good enough for Buffy and you knew it." Angel spat at him as he moved towards him. Riley got up and looked Angel square in the eyes.

"Me. What about you? Huh. I'm not good enough for Buffy, the one and only Dracula said that you weren't worthy of her. So what do you have to say to that." Riley said as he attempted to hit Angel. Angel side stepped the swing and grabbed hold of Riley's left hand.

"Dracula. Okay, so you think that he is worth anything. Please I'm more of a vampire than he could ever be. You on the other hand had to go and get vampires to suck on you in order to make her jealous. Now what does that say about you?" Angel asked as he threw Riley back.

"You know, after a while, that is just so old." Riley jumped on Angel and started to hit him. Riley got in two solid blows to Angel's face splitting his check. Angel blocked the third punch and used so much force to push Riley off that he was sent flying into a tree. When Riley connected with the tree there was a crack; before Riley knew it the tree started to fall down; Riley quickly moved and almost got hit by the tree as it toppled down.

Angel used Riley's lack of focus against him and rushed him. He put all his weight into the body rush and Riley fell to the ground. Angel threw a series of tight punches to his face causing Riley's nose to bleed. Angel was about to hit him again when two vampires fell from the trees above and caught him off guard. While Angel was pre-occupied by the new vampires Riley moved into the shadows. The Receiver was waiting for him.

"You did well." The Receiver replied.

"Thanks." Riley said proud of himself.

"But not good enough. You need to practice. You will need more than that to capture this vampire." The Receiver said. Riley was disappointed with that and was about to comment but he could tell the Receiver was no longer interested in him. Quietly, Riley left the scene and went home to his wife. The Receiver watched as Angel killed the two vampires and looked around for the missing soldier. Frustrated, Angel left the park and headed home. Smiling the Receiver looked towards Sunny; Sunny then produced a camera. The Receiver had put everything on film so that he could study the vampire. Smiling he signaled for his Lyphans and left the park with the vampire. Phase one was complete. He had done is research and was now ready to prepare Riley and the Initiative for their capture of Angel.

When Angel got home, Buffy and the others were all in bed. Angel went to the freezer and got some ice. He didn't really want Buffy to see him like this, but he wouldn't really have a choice. Angel removed his coat, took the ice, and headed for his room. He could see a light from under the door and hesitated for a moment before opening the door. Angel opened the door and saw that Buffy had fallen asleep to the television. Angel moved towards her and kissed her head. Buffy stirred and smiled.

"Hey." She said.

"Hey." Angel replied. Buffy then saw the split check and sat up.

"What happened, baby?" Buffy asked.

"I had a run in with someone's fist." Angel replied. Buffy took the cloth filled with ice, helped Angel sit down on their bed. Buffy touched the ice lightly to Angel's head; Buffy moved to sit in Angel's lap so that she could get a better look at the damage on his check.

"Let me guess, a certain commando that we both hate?" Buffy asked.

"You guessed right," Angel replied as Buffy left to get the first aid kit, "So what did you do today?"

"Nothing. Helped Dawn and Kathy with some homework." Buffy said as she sat back down. Off Angel's look, Buffy confessed the truth.

"Okay, Connor helped them and I was there for moral support." Angel laughed and smiled at her. Buffy laughed with him and gave him a hug. Angel hugged her back.

"What was that for?" Angel asked her. Buffy pulled back and kissed him.

"Did that mean commando hurt you?" Buffy asked him with a pout.

"No, I hurt him." Angel said.

"That's my boy." Buffy said and kissed him again. Buffy abandoned the ice and leaned into him. They fell to the bed and into each other's arms. Buffy and Angel would be able to spend eternity this way; but since eternity was going to be a long time from now, the night would do just fine.

The Receiver watched the couple from the street below. There was much to do before his plan to destroy Angel was able to come to pass. He had to prepare the Initiative for the battle and he had to recruit some of his friends for the task. It would not be an easy task to take down the vampire with the soul, but he was ready for the challenge. The Receiver left Buffy and Angel to their devices and signaled for his Lyphans to follow him. This would be the biggest soul capture of the decade and the Receiver would be the talk of the world. As he left he fed on the soul of a man who had saved a girl from her dead-beat boyfriend. The Lyphans finished off the girl and the Receiver opened a secret portal that led straight to his home. The Receiver sat down in his chair and turned on the television. _Perfect. My favourite show._ The Receiver smiled and picked up his bowl of popcorn; a murder on television would top off his night. _Perfection._


	11. Chapter 11

**Immortal: the Virtual Series****  
Episode 1.11: Not Alone****  
**Written by: Tania  
Original airdate: September 1, 2004  
Rating: K+

**Part One**

Buffy sat at her desk holding a coffee mug, as Captain Walton walked towards her. "Summers, I need you to take Dennison out they're some reports of possible vamps nest on 54th, I know it's the end of your sift but I thought you wouldn't mind." Buffy set her mug down.

"Nope not at all, we'll get on it." She was enjoying her work on the team and all the other members really got a long with her. "Dennison, we go to go check out 54th."

"Let me get the keys." West Dennison opened one of his drawers at his desk pulling out a set of keys before tossing them to Buffy.

The two walked through the hall, to the elevator, getting to the parking garage. The Special Opps. team had a special car, a 1988 Black Mustang. Buffy climbed into the driver seat as West climbed into the passenger seat. He reached into the back seat pulling a duffel bag into his lap. He pulled out a stake handing it to Buffy and a couple of arrows before pulling the crossbow into the front seat. He threw the duffel back into the seat before loading the crossbow. "Ready West?"

"Ready Buff." Out of the 3 other officers, Buffy liked West the best cause he didn't take everything so seriously. He was really laid back and talkative when you allowed him to be. Buffy parked the car climbing out and West got out slowly. "It sounds like our boys found something." West nods over in the direction of a loud crash.

"Let's go." West runs in the direction as Buffy slides across the hood of the car. They both get in the alley as one vamp turns to dust. Buffy catches a glimpse of the girl before the slayer is kicked into a wall. West shoots the crossbow at the vamp before helping Buffy up. Buffy moves West out of the way punching a vamp behind him then kicking him onto the ground, she leans down quickly staking him. West hits another vamp with a crossbow into Buffy who is ready staking that one. West quickly turns around the crossbow at Faith's heart, who's ready with a stake.

Faith puts down her guard as Buffy quickly walks over. "Hey B." The brunette slayer turns around helping someone off the ground.

"Hey Buffster." Xander smiled both beady eyes looking at her.

"Xander? Your eyes?" Buffy pointed at her best friend.

"Faith?" West speaks up.

"West?"

"You know him?" Xander asks Faith at the same time Buffy asks West. "You know her?"

**Part 2**

_Boston, 1998_

19-year-old West Dennison drove his car up to his girlfriends home. He climbed out of the car and ran up a flight of stairs knocking on an apartment door. "Hey Wes." Faith smiled at him.

"Hey you ready?" Faith closed the door with a nod.  
"Yeah, let's go." Faith pulled on her leather jacket and West followed her back to his car.

The two got inside driving off to a local club. They went inside sitting down, West buying them some soda. Faith looks at the door as a man and a woman walk out. "Faith what is it?"

"I don't know, I'll be right back." She gets up, leaving the club seeing the couple she follows them around the corner. "What are you doing?" Faith asks before having the male thrown into her. She falls over, pushing the man off then getting up she runs after the girl, finding herself being able to run faster than before. She tackles the girl flipping her over finding her vamped. "What the hell are you?"

"She's your kill." A man stepped out throwing a stake to Faith.

"A slayer." The girl spat.

Faith twirls the stake as the vamp runs at her she kicks her in her stomach knocking her back. She takes the stake firmly grabbing the vamp by her hair pulling her head back and plunging the stake into her heart. The vamp explodes into dust.

"Well d..." The man starts to stay.

"Faith?" Faith and the man look at West who stands at the end of the alley.

"Did you see that?" Faith was a little excited.

West looked at her backing away. "What did you do? What was that?"

"West, I killed it and I think it was a vampire." West shook his head and ran off.

"It was a vampire." The man behind her said. "And you're the Vampire Slayer."

_New York 2004_

"Yeah." West looked down at the ground.

Faith shook her head. "You work for the police."

"We're the special operations unit." Buffy answered for West.

"That's totally cool Buff." Xander smiles trying to liven up everyone. "Let's go see Angel."

"Ok, why are you two here anyway especially the two of you together?" Buffy asks.

"Well, I was in Maine, getting eye surgery when Faith called she said she was heading my way."

"Why were you heading his way?" Buffy looked back at Faith as they headed to the car.

"Robin and me decided to end it so I was heading anybody's way." Faith shrugged.

"Oh, I'm sorry Faith." Buffy sighed getting into the car.

"It's ok. It was time." West opened the door and looked at Faith. "What? Get in, I'm sitting in the front with B."

West climbed into the back with Xander. "Can't wait to go home." He mumbled.

"Xander!" Dawn ran to him hugging him as Faith, Buffy, and him walked into the apartment.

"Faith? What is it this time?"

"Just for a visit, and brought Xander with me." Faith smiled. "Don't be so suspicious all the time."

"Seems like Faith's a friend of West's." Buffy looked at Angel.

Angel kissed Buffy before looking at Faith. "West Dennison and you are friends?"

"No, and I hate him B." She looked at the blonde.

"Why? He's a really nice guy."

"Ding- Ding we found why she hates him." Dawn smiled.

"Go do your homework." Buffy pointed.

"Already done."

"Go introduce Xander to Kathy and Connor." Buffy put her hands on her hips.

"I will do." Dawn pulled Xander away.

"Who's Kathy?" Faith asked.

"Why do you hate West?" Angel crossed his arms across his chest.

"I asked first brood boy."

"She's my sister now answer my question."

"He's one of my exes, how did that happen?"

"Wesley and magic's, what did he do to you?"

"Walked away, any consequences?"

"Just having another teenage girl around." Angel looked at Buffy who had sat down in a chair. "I better get to work, you two have fun." Angel looked at the two slayers. "Not to much fun." He kissed Buffy softly and left the house.

"Anything else I should know?" Faith looked over at Buffy.

"Riley's in town."

"Really?" Faith nodded. "Is it weird?"

"No we ignore him 'cause he's being a jerk."

"Who's being a jerk?" Xander walked back into the room.

"Riley Finn." Faith gave a salute.

"When did we see Riley?"

"A couple days ago when he tried to beat up Angel and totally pissed me off."

"Maybe tonight we should go visit Riley?" Faith nods with a smirk.

"Let's not, why don't we go out to a club or something? Connor can keep an eye on Dawn & Kathy." Buffy went to the closet getting a jacket.

"Sounds good." Xander nodded.

"Yeah, I could go for some clubbing." Faith agreed.

"Ok." Buffy smiled. "Connor, we're going to go out for a couple hours we'll be back." Buffy looked at the college boy as he walked passed them and into the kitchen.

"All right." Connor nodded. "I'll watch the girls."

"Thank you." Faith, Buffy, and Xander leave the apartment.

Part 2

**Part 3**

Buffy and Xander sat in a diner eating lunch. "Buffy, you know we're all here for you right?"

"Who we?"

"Willow, Faith, Giles, and me we all are still here, don't forget that."

"I won't Xand, I'll always love you guys."

Faith walked down the street looking at the little shops when somebody bumped into her. "Riley?"

"Faith? What are you doing here?"

Faith smirks. "To give a B a visit."

"Really?"

"Do you care?" Faith touches his shoulders

"What does that mean?"

"All ready saw B." She knees him. "Leave her alone commando boy." Faith walked away.

West who was watching from across the street runs after Faith. "Why did you do that?" He asks as he catches up to her.

"He's being a jerk, like some other people."

"Faith, I was..."

"What? An idiot...deadbeat...loser...jerk."

"I was all those things and I was scared." West put his hands in his pockets. "I'm sorry."

"You left me...all alone."

"I'm really sorry Faith but now you're not alone."

"Yeah, and neither are you. Can you handle that?"

"Yeah, can you?"

"I think so." Faith smiles.

"You kneed Riley?" Buffy looked at Faith.

"Yeah it was nice, I could tell he thought I was going to cause you trouble." Faith laughed.

"Instead she causes him some trouble." West looked around at all of them.

The Receiver is sitting outside in the dark his long hair hidden in the shadows. He watches the two slayers and the two young men talk. He had to think of way to get the other slayer gone, he knew to well no matter what she'd always be on Angel's side and she was more fisted then Buffy. He watched he dark haired slayer lean against the cop. "Perfect." He whispers walking away. "Get me Riley Finn." He said to a Lyphan.

Faith and West were walking to West's apartment when commandos surrounded them. "On the ground now." Faith glared at Riley.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Him." Riley points at West.

"Why?"

"I get my orders and I just do them."

"Well you're doing it over my dead body." Faith kicks the nearest commando grabbing his tazer shooting it at the next closest one. "Run." She looks over at West.

West slams a solider into a wall. "I'm not leaving you, not this time."

"Unfortunately you are." Riley shot him with dart and West fell to his knees.

"West!" Faith turned and 3 soldiers jumped her knocking her out.

**Part 4**

Faith woke up on the sidewalk her lip was bleeding . She looked around and she saw it laying on the payment was West's lifeless pal body staring at her. "West?" She choked up. She got up seeing puncture wounds in his neck the blood had stop and dried. "Why didn't you leave?" She went over to him touching his face. "Now I'm all alone." She closed his eyes. "I'll get him, I promise."

"Faith? You sure you don't want something to drink?" Buffy looked at the slayer who just sat on the couch.

"I'm sure." She nodded.

"We'll get him Faith. West was a good friend." Angel sat next to her.

"Yeah, we're going to get him and I know that he wants to help." Xander looks at Connor who walked into the room with him.

"If you'll let me." Connor looked at Angel and Faith.

"I will if he will."

"Let's get Riley."

"Job well done Mr. Finn." The Receiver nodded.

"Only problem now is they're out for me." Riley looked around.

"Yes but it'll keep them busy."

"Even Angel?"

"Especially Angel." He folded his hands. "You can go now." Everything was falling together for each phase of his plan.


	12. Chapter 12

**Immortal: the Virtual Series****  
Episode 1.12: Pretty in Pink****  
**Written by: Anne  
Original airdate: September 5, 2004  
Rating: K+

Part 1

"Look, that guy tutored you up 'till our sophomore year! It's all good!" Dawn was telling a very nervous Kathy. "Trust me, we're in all of each other's classes. We'll sit next to each other and if you don't get anything, I'll help."

"I know," Kathy sighed, "It's just I don't want to be completely humiliated like last time." She said, recalling very clearly the incident back in LA

"Come on," Dawn pulled her along, "New school; fresh start; hot guys." Dawn told her as one really hot guy passed by. They both stopped and looked back at him, "Really hot guys." The guy turned and smiled back at them. "He's smiling! Be cool."

"In Ireland, we couldn't do any of these things," Kathy said, "We couldn't go out on dates or flirt with guys, it's all so fascinating." Dawn and Kathy went up the steps of their new school and opened the doors to find kids playing football in the hallway while others tried to get their books out of their lockers. Many yellow flyers were posted all over the place announcing the schools semi-formal.

"What's a semi-formal?" Kathy asked Dawn.

"A semi-formal is a dance where guys ask girls to go with them to this dance and they get dressed up in long dresses that make the guys drool. It's really awesome," Dawn explained. "So, a guy just comes up of his own free will and asks you?" Kathy questioned. "Yep, that's how it works," Dawn said.

Buffy woke up to the smell of eggs and bacon coming in from the kitchen. She looked around and blinked a few times to clear her eyes before realizing that Angel wasn't next to her. She also remembered that today was Dawn and Kathy's first day at their new school.

"Angel?" She spoke loudly, but not loud enough for Angel to hear. She spoke very loudly on her second try, "Angel!" A loud clang of pans was heard before Angel rushed into the room.

"Buffy? What's wrong?"

"What time is it?"

"Almost 9:30 why?" "

"Where are Dawn and Kathy? Are they at school? Are they still here? Are they…" Buffy ticked off the questions one by one while Angel walked over to her and shushed her with a deep kiss on the lips. When they broke apart, Buffy asked, "Why do your kisses make me know that everything is alright?"

"Maybe it's just a gift I've been given," Angel smirked and gave her a quick kiss again before telling her, "I made breakfast. Come out and eat it before it gets cold."

Buffy quickly got out of bed and flew into the kitchen, where she saw sunny side-up eggs with home fries and bacon on the table.

"Is Faith still?" Buffy trailed as she listened to the snoring in the other room.

"Out like a light," Angel said. Faith had stayed with them ever since West was killed.

"Morning, Buffy," Connor smiled.

"Morning, Connor," Buffy grinned back as she sat down looking at the food in front of her. "Angel, you never cease to amaze me."

"You know, you are a pretty good cook for a guy," Connor laughed. Angel raised an eyebrow for the pancakes in her mouth suppressed Buffy's laugh.

"Buffy, I have an interview at NYU today, I was wondering if you could drive me," Connor asked as he ate a forkful of his father's cooking.

"Sure," Buffy said, "At what time?"

"In about an hour," Connor said as Buffy looked at him wide-eyed. She looked at the clock on the microwave and then rushed back into her room.

"She's so funny when she panics."

"Connor." Angel groaned.

"So, his sister's a Slayer." The Receiver was saying as he read the information on Kathy, "does she know it?"

"Not to my knowledge, sir," the fledgling vampire said.

"Get Finn in here, now," The Receiver growled. The vampire winced and ran out. When he came back, Riley was striding two paces behind him.

"Did you know Angel had a sister?"

"No, sir," Riley looked wide-eyed at him in shock. Hadn't Angel been living for two hundred and seventy eight years? How was it that he had a sister?

"How is this possible?"

"In LA, an ex-Watcher attempted a spell that was going to make Angel human, but it didn't work and instead he brought forth his family."

"Where are the others?"

"They are back in their proper era," The Receiver said, "but the sister stayed for some reason."

"And you want me to…."

"I want you to find Kathy, be her friend, ask her questions, but not so she'll know to be suspicious," The Receiver said. "Then when we have found out enough to move on to the next stage of our plan, we'll kill her and then move onto that Slayer of his."

Buffy was in the car driving to NYU with Connor. He'd been staring at her and had a small smile that Buffy now had to question,

"You like staring at me?"

"I can see why my dad loves you so much," Connor said, still smiling, "You're a great person."

"I'm not as great as people think," Buffy told him, "You know how long it's taken me to get my license? You'd be surprised. I was a horrible driver when I was younger."

"Buffy, can I tell you something?"

"Sure, shoot."

"Even though we haven't known each other for very long, I feel like I have a connection with you…not like the one you and dad have…but a mother-son bond," Connor said. Buffy smiled as she thought about it.

"Well, if Angel and I ever get married, I'll be your step-mother," Buffy told him.

"Yes, but that's not the same thing. You've cared for me the way my other mother does for me."

"Can I tell you something, Connor?"

"Yea! What is it?"

"You feel so much like my son I sometimes wonder if it's not really impossible to be the truth. Like maybe I was originally supposed to give birth to you, but something happened that changed it."

Little did they or anybody else know that their theory was completely true.

**Part 2**

As Dawn and Kathy were heading to their European Literature class, two guys stopped them on their way.

"Hey, you're the new girls right?" One of them asked. He was tall, handsome, muscular, and had brown hair and blue eyes. The second one has dirty blonde hair with brown eyes, he was also handsome and muscular, but not as tall as the first one.

"Yea," Dawn answered in a flirting tone, "And you might be."

"Oh, I'm Sean Montgomery," the brown-haired one said.

"I'm Alex Rogers," the dirty-blond boy introduced himself.

"Dawn Summers," Dawn smiled.

"Kathy O'Riley," Kathy managed to say.

"Have you been having any trouble with anything?" Alex asked as they continued walking, "Teachers troubles, having a hard time with finding classrooms?"

"No, we're doing fine," Dawn said.

"Where'd you move from?"

"L.A.," Kathy said, getting over her nervousness.

"L.A.?" Sean's jaw dropped, "You mean the L.A. where all the Hollywood stars are L.A.?"

"The one and only," Dawn winked at Kathy for telling them.

"What was it like?" Alex asked as they all entered the classroom. 

"We'll tell you later," Kathy winked at them as they all sat down and the teacher came in. The teacher started to drone on about a story that they were reading and prepped themselves for a boring class€¦

**A couple of hours later**

Angel sat at the kitchen table, thinking about all of the things that had happened since he and his family came to New York. The Receiver and Riley were now a danger to them. Angel wondered how either of them got to New York. He was about to go look up something about them on the computer when Faith came in the room.

"Hey, Angel," she said, rubbing her eyes.

"Afternoon, Faith, how are you?"

"Afternoon?! What time is it?" Faith asked, sitting in the chair adjacent to Angel.

Angel looked at the clock on the microwave and replied, "Almost 2:00."

"Wow, I haven't slept that long in a while," Faith said.

"It's good that you got a lot sleep," Angel told her, "You've been overworking yourself for a few days now."

"I miss him," Faith said somberly, referring to West. Suddenly, the front door began to unlock and Buffy and Connor came in laughing their heads offs.

"Did you see his face when you said that?" Buffy snorted.

"He got so red he looked like a tomato! Especially since he had no hair!" Connor laughed.

"I take it the interview went well?" Angel asked, smiling at how happy Buffy and Connor were.

"It went better than well! It was hilarious!" Connor laughed.

"Well, sit down and tell us about it!" Faith grinned, motioning for them to sit down.

--

School had just finished for the day. Kathy, Dawn, Alex, and Sean were talking as they walked out of school. "L.A. sounds awesome," Alex said. Kathy and Dawn had given them an explanation, but without all of the supernatural encounters they had had.

"Let's change the subject for just a quick second," Sean said, looking at Alex and signaling him with his eyes.

"Yea, um, you know about the semi-formal coming up?" Alex asked. 

"Yea," Dawn and Kathy said at the same time, hoping that what they thought the guys were about to do was true.

"Well, we know we've only just met you but," Alex started.

"We were hoping we could take you to the semi," Sean finished. 

Kathy was beaming as Dawn grinned and said, "But who's going to take who?" Kathy was hoping that Sean would take her. 

"Dawn," Alex asked, "I'd..."

"Yes!" Dawn said before he could even get the words out.

"Well, OK," Sean laughed, "Kathy? Would you like to go with me?"

"Yes," Kathy smiled.

--

Buffy sat on Angel's lap as Connor retold the story of his NYU interview. He was giving her a gentle back massage. Buffy suppressed her moans as best as she could, but was starting to get very unsuccessful. 

"Oh, you two," Faith said, "You two should get married already. You are stuck to each other like glue!"

"You two are madly in love with each other," Connor said, "Faith's right. You two should get married."

"Maybe, soon," Angel said, looking at Buffy for her reaction.

"Maybe," Buffy smiled before planting a light kiss on his lips.

"Oh my God! What are we going to wear?! We have to get new dresses!" Dawn was saying to Kathy as they came in the door.

"New dresses for what?" Buffy asked suspiciously.

"For the semi! We have dates!!!" Kathy said excitedly

"Dates? Already?" Angel asked, looking quite shocked, "It's your first day and you already have dates to a dance you have yet to explain to us?" Both Dawn and Kathy furiously nodded their heads.

"Let them go," Faith protested for them, seeing that Angel was already not liking the idea. "They have dates for crying out loud!"

"And when exactly is this dance?" Buffy asked.

"Two days from now!" Dawn told her.

"Well, I suppose we'll have to get you dresses," Buffy sighed before Dawn and Kathy both leaped in the air and gave her a great big hug, causing both her and Angel to grunt from the weight.

"Please Angel?" Kathy begged and gave Angel her best puppy-like sad face. She knew it usually made Angel cave-in on whatever they were arguing about.

"Fine," Angel sighed.

"What time is it because we could head over to a store right now and buy them dresses," Faith said, feeling the need to do something other than sit.

"It's about three-thirty," Buffy said, "I guess we could go to."

"Oh, thanks Buffy you're so awesome! Meet you down in the car!" Dawn squealed before turning back to Kathy, grabbing her hand and rushing out the door before Buffy could say another word.

"What are we supposed to do?" Angel asked, hanging on to Buffy.

"Do some father-son bonding!" Buffy said, wiggling herself out of his grasp and following Faith out the door.

**20 minutes later at Macy's****  
**  
Buffy, Dawn, Kathy, and Faith were looking through dozens of different dresses.

"What do you think of this blue one?" Dawn said, putting the dress against her body.

"Too low cut," Buffy said.

"Buffy!" Dawn whined, "You've said that about almost every single dress I've picked out so far!" 

"That's because every dress you picked out has the same low cut style that I don't like!"

"Oh my!" Kathy gasped and ran over to a rack with a light pink dress on it. It had dark pink sequences sewn into the dress. "I have to try this on!" Kathy snatched the dress off the rack and dashed into the dressing room. A few minutes later she came out wearing the dress. It fit her perfectly. Faith, Buffy, and Dawn all complimented her on how well it fit her. Riley quietly came into the area where the dresses were and watched the girl with the pink dress. 'That must be Angel's sister' he thought to himself. He stayed out of sight of Buffy and the others, and just watched.

"Hey, B, I'm going to go downstairs and see if I can find me some decent threads," Faith said to Buffy before turning and leaving, walking right past the spot where Riley was hiding.

"Buffy!" Dawn squealed seeing a long red dress in the corner that she's immediately fell in love with.

"Finally a dress that isn't low cut," Buffy praised, walking over to where Dawn was standing. Kathy wasn't far away, and she watched them and smiled to herself as she wandered, looking at some more dresses. Riley slowly came out of his hiding spot, but stayed out of sight of Dawn and Buffy. He pretended to be looking at clothes.

"Nice day outside isn't it?" Riley said, looking through the clothes.

"Yea," Kathy said wandering away. Riley followed her, still pretending to look through the clothes. "Are you following me?"

"Oh, no," Riley lied, "I'm just looking for some clothes for my daughter. You look a bit like her you know."

"Really?" Kathy turned, looked at him and smiled.

"Yea," Riley said, "Who are you here with?"

"Oh, my brother's girlfriend and my best friend, they're over there. We all live together with my nephew too."

"You look a little bit young to be an aunt," Riley silently laughed.

"I know," Kathy said.

"Kathy!" Buffy called out, "Come see Dawn and her semi dress!"

"I have to go," Kathy said rushing away from Riley. "I'm coming!" 

"Kathy! This is it! This'll make Alex drool!"

"Oh my! It looks wonderful on you! You should get it!"

"Buffy?" Dawn looked at her sister with pleading eyes. "Please?"

"Alright, alright, but you're going to get a job soon," Buffy gave in. Dawn and Kathy squealed. Riley watched them from behind a beam supporting the building. "I'll take your dress up to the counter. Come on." Buffy smiled. Riley slipped away with one last glance at Buffy, Dawn, and Kathy.

**-Part 3- **

"She mentioned some sort of semi-formal. I'm assuming it's a type of dance that teenagers go to," Riley recalled as he told the Receiver about the conversation between him and Kathy

"The dance at the high school coming up, yes, I know, and," The Receiver stopped and thought, "And Angelus will probably be there, watching over his sister. Finn, find out when this event is." 

"We're going to the dance?" Riley asked.

"Yes, we are," The Receiver said, a plan forming in his mind.

- A few hours before the dance, two days later-

Kathy sat on her bed thinking about the man she had met at Macy's a couple of days before. Who was he? He never said his name. Could she have possibly endangered her family? She didn't think so; at least she hoped she didn't. She sighed and forgot about it as Dawn came into her room and said it was time to get ready.

–-

About an hour and a half later, Sean and Alex waited with corsages at the front. When Dawn and Kathy came out, both of the guys' jaws dropped. 

"Dawn," Alex managed to recover first, "You look gorgeous." Dawn smiled as Alex took the corsage out of its container and slipped it one her wrist. Kathy slinked up to Sean, whose jaw was still dropped and his eyes were running up and down her body.

"K-Kathy," Sean finally managed to look at her and stutter her name, "I-I can't believe I-I mean y-you look a-amazing, beautiful!"

"Thank you," Kathy blushed as she took how even more handsome Sean looked with a suit on.

"Oh, I-I got this for you," Sean looked at the corsage shaking in his hand. He took it out with his other shaky hand and put it on Kathy's wrist. It matched perfectly with her dress. 

"Thank you again," Kathy turned another shade of red, still bashfully smiling.

"Are we going to go to this dance or what?" Alex and Dawn said at the same time to Kathy and Sean.

"Yeah, let's" Kathy was saying before she saw her brother waiting at the foot of the stairs for Buffy, who came down the stairs in a pale blue dress. "Angel? Where're you and Buffy going?"

"Nowhere," Angel smiled as he swept Buffy into a quick kiss before leading her out the door.

"OK, see you later too," Dawn rolled her eyes sarcastically.

--

"You don't think they'll notice us there?" Buffy whispered to Angel as they went out to the car. 

"Most likely not, they'll be too involved with each other," Angel said.

"Why do we have to do this again?"

"In case Riley decides to show up and try something," Angel said, "He's got a weird way of figuring out what we do."

"It'll be like the Prom almost," Buffy sighed, looking back on the memories of Sunnydale.

"Will you dance with me when we're there?" Angel asked with his sexy half-smile.

"Of course," Buffy said as Angel opened the car door for her. After she got in, he closed it ran, to the other side and got in. He started the car, backed it out of the driveway and they were off.

**-At the dance-**

Buffy and Angel stood quietly together in a dark area watching Dawn, Alex, Kathy & Shawn. So far the night had been pretty uneventful. But Buffy had a feeling that something was about to happen. All of a sudden, a gunshot rang out in the air. Riley, followed closely by the Receiver, along with a couple of fledgling vampires, entered the auditorium. Everyone except Buffy, Angel, Dawn, Kathy, Shawn, and Alex, panicked and attempted to run out of the gym. With a snap of his fingers, the Receiver closed all of the doors, making it impossible to get out.

"The Receiver," Angel muttered under his breath.

"Who?" Buffy asked. As the Receiver started to move around looking for them, Angel grabbed Buffy's hand and led her across the dance floor. They didn't see the Receiver quickly catch them moving and dashing in front of them until Angel almost slammed into the Receiver's body.

"Hello, Angelus," The Receiver said. Angel in reply, gave the hardest punch he could throw. It managed to knock the Receiver to the ground, but not for long. Angel and Buffy both took fighting stances as the Receiver flipped back up.

Sean and Alex had disappeared into the crowd, and Dawn and Kathy couldn't find them anywhere. The search was quickly cut short by a group of vampires surrounding them. Dawn, though she took her fighting stance, immediately became worried about Kathy. She didn't know how to fight vampires or so she thought. When the vampires attacked, Kathy instinctively knew what to do. 'So, she's a Slayer, too,' Dawn smiled in her head.

"Say goodbye, little girl," one vampire growled before lunging at Kathy. Kathy dodged his launch.

"Kathy!" Dawn yelled as she broke one of the wooden refreshment tables into pieces. She took one of the wooden pieces and threw it to Kathy, "Stake him in the heart!" She managed to yell before another vampire threw a punch at her.

Kathy kicked the vampire back and when it started to charge towards her again, she held the stake and plunged it into the vampire's heart. She watched in shock as the vampire exploded into dust. "How?"

"Angel!" Buffy screamed as he took yet another hit from the Receiver. She was about throw another kick, but felt a pair of clammy arms grabs her and pulls her back. "Riley," she growled under her breath, "You'd stoop so low?"

"It was an offer I couldn't refuse," Riley smirked before kicking her in the gut. Out of the corner of her eye, Buffy saw the Lyphans circling around Angel and the Receiver. She wondered.

"You are a self-centered ass," she breathed before throwing a left hooks to Riley's jaw. The blow hit full-force and Riley was knocked back onto the ground. The impact onto the floor was so severe that it knocked him unconscious.

"You can't beat me, Angelus," The Receiver smirked. Buffy snuck up on one of the Lyphans and grabbed it by its ears. While the creature yelped in pain, the Receiver let out an unexpected wail.

"So, you're Lyphans are your weakness," Angel managed to smile before staggered towards him and kicking him.

"You can kill them, but you can't kill me," The Receiver said, feeling the pain that his Lyphan was going through. "You'll never be able to kill me." Buffy took the knife attached to her leg out from under her dress and stabbed the Lyphan with it a few times. When the Receiver shrieked in obvious pain from feeling his creatures suffer he said, "This isn't over yet. I'll get you and your Slayer! You can count on it." The Receiver said before grabbing Riley, whistling for his Lyphan to get his injured companion and follow him out. All the vamps in the room we're dust. The students looked around in awe at what had just happened. Angel brushed him off before going over to the very baffled DJ and telling him a song to play. The DJ nodded his head to say that he had the song and he'd play it. He went back to Buffy, took her in his arms and began dancing with her as the song played. All of the people followed them.

_Anytime you feel like you just can't hold on__  
__Just hold on to my love and I'll help you be strong__  
__But you're so afraid to lose and baby I can't reach your heart__  
__I can't face this world that's keeping us apart_

Sean and Alex returned to Kathy and Dawn. "Where were you?" Kathy asked.

"We had something to do." Sean glanced at Alex nervously. Kathy saw the flicker in his eyes but decided to let it pass for the time being.

"Well, come on and dance then," Dawn said pulling Alex towards her. He immediately grabbed onto her and began slow dancing.

"Are you alright?" Sean asked Kathy.

"I'm fine," Kathy breathed uneasily.

"If you ever need anything, you know I'm here for you," Sean said.

"Thank you," Kathy smiled, "Do you want to…"

"I'd love to," Sean grinned back. He led Kathy out to almost the center of the dance floor and they began slow dancing.

_When I could be the one to show you everything you missed before__  
__Just hold on now, cuz' I could be the one to give you more, let you know__  
__Anytime you need love baby I'm on your side, hey__  
__Just let me be the one I can make it alright_

"I never thought we'd get to do this again," Buffy said with her head against Angel's chest as the danced.

"I'm just glad you're alright," Angel kissed the top of her forehead.

"I love you," Buffy whispered.

"I love you, too," Angel whispered back, "You know this reminds me of the Prom."

"Except better, because when we danced then, we technically weren't couple," Buffy said, "You better not leave me again, mister."

"I won't," Angel tugged her even closer to him, "I'll always be here."

_I can make it alright__  
__Anytime you need love, baby, you're in my heart__  
__I can make it alright__  
__I look into your eyes and I feel it coming through_

"Did I say I liked you dress? Because it looks perfect on you," Sean babbled, "I'm sorry I disappeared like that just." Sean was saying before Kathy shushed him.

"Just dance with me," Kathy grinned. He gladly obliged and pulled her to him.

"Would you like to go with me to a movie sometime?" Sean asked quietly. 

Kathy was so happy, she felt that she's was going to explode, "Yes," she managed to squeak quietly, "I'd love to."

_I can't help but want you more than I want to  
So baby, take all of your fears and cast them all on me  
'Cause all I ever wanted was just to make you see  
That I could be the one to give you all that you've been searching for  
Just hold on to my love and baby, let me give you more you know_

Alex had asked Dawn out and now they were silently dancing together near Buffy and Angel.

"Look at her, Angel, she's grown up so fast, it's almost scares me. What'll happen when she goes out on her own? Will she be alright, will she?" Buffy was cut off by Angel pressed a kiss onto her lips.

"Don't worry about that right now, let's just be here, dancing together at this dance," Angel smiled before leaning down and kissing her again. Only a few seconds later, the kisses turned into a full-blown make-out session. Dawn watched them wide-eyed.

"Is something wrong?" Alex asked.

"No," Dawn wheezed slightly, "My sister and her boyfriend are here."

"You have a sister?" Alex asked.

"Yea," Dawn said, "I'll let you meet her later, right now I just want to dance with you."

_Anytime, anytime you need love baby I'm on your side, I'm on your side  
Just let me be the one I can make it alright, I can make it alright  
Anytime you need love baby you're in my heart, you're in my heart  
I can make it alright, now there's no way out and I can't help the way I feel_

"Angel? Who was that that attacked us?"

Angel sighed and took in a deep breath before telling her, "That was the Receiver."

"The Receiver? Who is that?"

"He's an immortal demon that takes the souls of heroes" Angel trailed.

"Like you or me?" Buffy questioned.

"Not you, taking your soul would mess up the balance of things, I read upon it a long time ago." 

"Oh, but why is he coming after you?"

"Angelus killed someone a long time ago that the Receiver was going to suck the soul out of, and he needed this particular person to knock off the amount of year on his 'curse', but since Angelus killed him, it added another millennia onto it."

Why didn't he just kill you?"

"I escaped before he had the chance," Angel said.

_Cause way beyond the fire I'll be waiting right here__  
__You know my love is real baby, yeah, yeah, yeah__  
__Anytime you need love baby I'm on your side, you know__  
__Just let me be the one I make it alright, I can make it all, make it all, make it alright_

"Thank you," Kathy whispered to Sean

"For what?"

"For making this night so special," Kathy said. Sean smiled.

"Did I say before how much pretty you look in that pink dress?"

"Yes, you did," Kathy giggled, "...Twice."

_Anytime you need love baby you're in my heart  
I can make it alright yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah  
I'm on your side, let me be the one, let me be the one, let me be the one  
You're in my heart_

The Receiver sat in a large chair with his eyes closed thinking about his next move to make on Angel. Riley still lay unconscious on the couch next to him. All of a sudden, the Receiver's eyes opened wide as he realized what he could do.

He'd go after Buffy.

_I can make it all right_

Song: "Anytime" by Kelly Clarkson. We are in no way affiliated with her. Song copyright.


	13. Chapter 13

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**  
Episode 1.13: Whispering Thoughts  
Written by the Main Slayer  
Original airdate: October 2, 2004  
Episode rating: K+

The Receiver sat at his desk. It was dark and the candlelight cast a slight glow of shadows on the wall. In front of him was a large leather bound journal. It had been over 150 years since he had opened it, and for the first time tonight, he would read what was bound within its pages. The Receiver lit another candle before cracking the ancient spine of the journal entitled, "Whispering Thoughts." This was his journal: a complete account of the events in his life. As the shadows danced on the walls, the Receiver opened the large book. Looking at the first page, he closed his eyes. At that moment a picture came to him, a picture of a goddess with golden hair and soft skin. A picture of his wife…

_10__th__ September 1390  
I watched her again today. She moved through the city streets as if she were floating on air. I couldn't help myself; I stared at her as she walked. She was with her family, I knew, but I couldn't help myself. I watched as her lose golden curls bounced off her slender shoulders. She was the perfect woman. As far as I knew, she would be attending a party that my parents where throwing for the cities new mayor. That night I would meet her and finally ask her what her name was. For months I saw her in the streets getting her daily bread, but I never had the courage to find out what her name was. She was an Angel in my eyes and I didn't want to make her real, not yet. When she passed me I could smell the faint scent of the Vanilla flowers that her father grew in his garden. She even smelt like an Angel. The evening was a gathering that my father thought would up his status among the town's people, make himself look big; as a sign of authority and wealth, he invited her. It would be a night to remember…_

Dublin, Ireland 1390

The evening was perfectly set. There were high chandeliers and numerous candles lit. Katrine O'Hara had made sure that the meal was the best that anyone had ever seen. Many important people where to attend this event and there could not be a thing out of place. The servants had been working all day, in the fields and then in the kitchen. There was not a moment that went by, that did not include numerous faces. Connor had been sent to the tailors early in the morning to pick up his father's suit and his own. He had returned to his home an hour before the party and was pushed into his room where three servants dressed him. Connor hated to be dressed by others. He was a grown man and could dress himself, however, his father saw it as a status symbol, if you had people doing everything for you, you were important. Minute's later Connor was downstairs greeting guests with his father. Alexander O'Hara was a town's counsel man and was more interested with wealth and status than he was about the city. His title was just another thing he could add to the end of his name. By the time the fifteenth guest walked through the door, Connor was already bored. Alexander spent most of the time talking and talking before allowing the next patron through the door. Connor was about to relieve himself from greeting guests when she arrived.

Sara St. Claire was part of the wealthiest family in Dublin. Her father, Maximus, was the mayor of the town and to be his friend was to be the friend of the king himself. Alexander immediately ignored the rest of the patrons when the mayor walked through the door.

"Ah, Maximus, how are you on this fine evening?" Alexander questioned.

"I'm well, thank you Alexander. You remember my daughter Sara." The Mayor motioned towards his daughter.

"Of course I remember. One of the most beautiful women in all of Dublin," Alexander kissed the young woman's hand and motioned for his son to join him, "I'm sure that you remember Connor."

"Yes. We do. Connor how are you?" Maximus asked.

"I'm well, sir. Thank you," Connor shook the mayor's hand. Sara then offered her hand to him and he kissed it, "My lady."

"Kind sir." She replied. Sara was then ushered by her father into the main living room. Connor watched as the beauty left. She really was a vision and all eyes were on her as she entered the main dinning area. All during dinner, Connor watched Sara. She looked up only once and smiled. Connor wasn't sure how to take that, but he smiled back. After dinner, most of the guests went home to tend to their children, however, the mayor decided to stay and take care of business with Alexander. Connor's mother excused herself and went upstairs to check on the twins leaving Connor and Sara along. Connor smiled at her and sat down beside her.

"Would you care for some tea?" He questioned her.

"Please." She replied. She answered all his questions in the simplest form. Never using more than three words to speak to him. Her lack of words always made him more curious about who she was. Connor poured her tea and then looked to her.

"What do you take in it?"

"Nothing." She replied. Connor nodded his head and poured a cup for himself. So they sat. Sipping their tea not talking. All Connor wished to do was tell the young woman in front of him that he loved her. He always had. He had known that he loved her the moment he laid eyes on her months ago. She was the perfect human being and he wanted her to be his. While he sat he thought of what his father was talking about. Connor knew that he was at the marrying age; he was only hoping that his father loved status enough to pick Sara St Claire.

Alexander and Maximus were in agreement. There wasn't much else to agree upon. The both needed the status hike and they both needed each other to make the plans for the town come true. It only seems right to make this arrangement.

About an hour later Alexander and Maximus returned to the dinning area. Connor and Sara were finished their tea and Connor's mother had re-entered the room. Alexander came and sat beside his son and Maximus sat down next to his daughter.

"Connor, we need to speak to you." Alexander said. Connor looked at his father. _What is this all about?_ Connor thought. Connor and Sara watched their father's as they sat down. Connor looked to Sara; Sara smiled back.

"We have decided that the two of you shall wed in 3 weeks time."

_I will remember that night for the rest of my life. It was amazing. I remember looking to Sara and her smiled back with tears in her eyes. There was never a more perfect night then that. The wedding was complete perfection. Sara was so beautiful; she just glowed as she walked towards me. I have never felt so much love for one person in my life. Even as I write my heart beats faster. Sara is the most beautiful creature that I have ever seen; nothing in the world could or ever will compare to her beauty. The flowers and candles made the room glow; the ceremony was short but the night lasted forever. I am completely devoted to this one person and will be for the rest of my days._

The Receiver smiled. He remembered that night. He closed his eyes and pictured ever detail in his mind. That night was perfect, but a more perfect night would come, the night that his daughter was born. The Receiver turned the page of the leather journal once more.

_15__th__ November 1395  
Today I became a father. She is perfect, a complete replica of my wife. She was born at 10:00 at night while the town was asleep. The maids of the house where the ones to deliver the child, the doctor had to be woken and told to come down as soon as he could. They knew just what to do. It was easy to tell that they had done this before. The got the hot water and a cloth. I held Sara's hand as she was instructed to push. I remember watching her face turn red at the lack of oxygen. Sara was so brave. I would have died if it were I. I will tell you, that night I discovered a new respect for my wife, she and other woman do what no man can. Create and bring life into this world. The minute Sophia was born I called my father and Sara's with the good news. The doctor arrived moments after the birth. First he tended to the baby and then to Sara. They were both in perfect health. I held Sophia for the first time when the doctor carefully handed her to me. She was so small. She had the smallest hands the smallest feet; her nose was perfect sitting in the center of her dainty face. She opened her eyes and looked at me; she had the purest blue eyes that the world had ever seen. My wife looked to me as I held this little miracle, I will admit, I wept. She was so perfect how could I not? I took my wife's hand and smiled. We had created the most precious life that anyone had ever seen. Moments later my wife began to shake. Her skin felt cold. The doctor took Sophia and handed her to a maid, and then he asked me to leave. I was terrified; I had no idea what was happening. Within minutes my father and father-in-law arrived and I told them what happened. We waited with fear plastered across our faces. The doctor emerged an hour later. He took me aside and told me the news that I didn't want to hear._

_At first I believed my wife to be dead, but he explained to me that she would be fine so long as she got a lot of rest. What he told me was much worse than my wife's death; she could never have another child again. At that moment, I realized that Sophia really was a miracle. She would be my only child, and she would always be. I'll admit sadness swept my body, at the realization that I would never have a son. That my name would never continue, nor my legacy. Boys were what the world expected out of their women, but it did not matter to me. Sophia was mine, she was there, and I would be happy with whatever God wishes to give me. As the doctor told our parents the news, I headed back in to see Sara and Sophia. As I entered the room I saw them. Sara was sitting up, even though she had almost lost her life, holding out child. The precious child that God had blessed us with. I sat on the bed next to my wife and took her hand. I could tell she had been crying, I looked her in the eye and told her that everything would be fine and that we would get through it together. Then Sophia made her first sound all night, she cried. That was a sign. My wife and I knew it. Sophia would be without siblings, without playmates, but even though this was the truth, she would always have us. Sara hushed the baby and I leaned in and kissed her. Sara and I laughed at the sound. Our family was now complete._

A tear rolled down the Receiver's face. Irritated he wiped it away with anger in his eyes. He hadn't cried in centuries and he wouldn't let some journal entry make him do it now; but he couldn't help it. The tears poured down his face as he recalled their deaths. He remembered their screams as his Lyphans devoured the ones that the loved so much. In one swift motion the Receiver threw the book across the table. The leather bound journal crashed to the floor and fell open. The Receiver stood and walked away from it. He hated what he was; but what other choice did he have. He was what he was; there was no changing that. He was not proud of the things that he had done, but he had to do it in order to survive, in order to live. As the tears dried, he walked back to his book. He looked down at the cursed journal and glared at it. He picked it up and placed it back on the desk. The candles were almost out, he moved towards them and replaced each one. He found that candlelight was the best way to read. It was soothing. This next entry was the first one he had made since the death of his family. He was not proud of this moment, but it was duty. His fate.

_6__th__ July 1440  
I haven't written in this book since the death of my wife and child, the night I became what I am, but tonight I am compelled to write. I have done something that is wrong in all its respects. I was sent on assignment as usual, but tonight's subject was a little…a little…girl. She was only 5 years old. I'm sure you want to know the reason as to why she is my most recent subject, it is said that she will become the next Slayer. It is true, we cannot physically kill the Slayer, but potentials are fair game. Stefan found out she was a Slayer while listening to a conversation about a young child with extraordinary abilities to move heavy objects with one had at the age of five. Not all Potentials have this ability or even show this type of strength until they are called, and then there are some that do. So Stefan sent me to her, told me to dispose of her before she was called. I will never forget the screaming…_

London, 1440

The Receiver walked up to the door. The door was closed off with a Crucifix attached to it. Obviously this family believed him to be a demon, but what they didn't know what the he was much worse. The husband opened the door first. He tried to slam the door in his face, but the Receiver would have none of that. He pushed the door open and the husband fell to his knees. With his hands in front of him, he begged the Receiver to leave his family alone, and to spare his daughters life. The Receiver bent down and looked the man in the eyes; tears streamed down his face but the Receiver was unmoved. He snapped the man's neck and left him to the Lyphans. As the large animals continued to feed, the Receiver walked down the hall to find the mother guarding the door. She was a beautiful creature; the Receiver would have to have his way with her before he left. He pushed the woman to the ground and threw her in a spare room, he commanded the Lyphans to watch her as he opened the door to the young girls room. He stepped into the room to find a girl about five hiding in the corner of her room. For a moment, the Receiver thought of his daughter. A single tear began to form in the corner of his eye, without hesitation, he wiped it away and stalked towards the child. He picked her up and held her to his face. Her eyes were red from crying and her cheeks were stained with tears. She was afraid, as she should be; he was going to kill her. The Receiver placed a single hand to her chest and closed his eyes. The young girl began to scream. Her shriek pierced his ears. The Receiver closed his eyes tighter and chanted slowly. The screams grew as the pain increased. It took only but moments and the girl's soul was his. The screams ended and the body went limp. As if she were a rag-doll, the Receiver threw her to the floor and left the room. He walked towards the woman and signaled for the Lyphans to devour what was left of the child as he took the woman. All the while, with the sound of screaming, sobbing, and shrieks of pain, the Receiver cried. Cried for the little girl that he had just killed, cried for the woman he was raping, cried for the sake of crying. When they left, all that was behind him was a burning home.

_So you see why I wrote. I had to get my emotions out. Had to write down what I had done so I would never forget it. As a Receiver you have a tendency to forget things. Forget the people you have destroyed. I don't want to forget this one; never will I forget the innocence that I destroyed. I will live with it forever._

The Receiver moved from the book to look out the window of his apartment. The one thing that he hated about New York was that there were no real homes just apartment buildings one after the other. He listened to the wail of sirens and the honking of horns as the traffic tore through the streets. Walking away from the door he walked back to his journal. There were so many memories trapped within the pages that it would take lifetimes to read them all. There was one memory that he wished never to forget the moment he laid eyes on the most vicious creature that ever walked the earth. Flipping the pages he found his journal entry and read.

_19__th__ of December, 1720  
I believe that I have finally found the one creature in this world that can match my own destruction. She is vial and vicious. Everything that an immortal being could want. For the past few nights I have simply watched her. Her blonde hair; her ravenous ways. She is pure evil and I love it. At times I see my wife in her: the bravery and the confidence that anything can be hers so long as she takes it. I believe now that I have found Sara again in this vampire. Yes, she is a vampire. An immortal like myself. I have not learned her name as of yet, but I will and once I do she will be mine…_

Galway, Ireland 1720

Darla knew that someone was following her. She had known for some time that there was a man watching her every move. At first she believed it to be the Master, but soon found that it was something else. Something just a little more powerful. In the beginning, she was afraid of this new being, but now she played with him. She would lead him into stray alleyways and then jump the building to see him bewildered and frustrated with the fact that he had lost her. Obviously he had never followed or tracked a vampire before. Darla would laugh to herself and watch as imaginary steam flowed from his ears. After she would feed and go home. One night, however, this new friend of hers actually caught up with her as she was feeding behind a tavern. He stood before her, looming. He wore all black and his hair was pulled into a neat ponytail. He watched her as she devoured the young man in her arms. When she was finished it was time to confront this stalker of hers.

"You know it is impolite for a gentleman to gaze longingly at a woman." She said to him as she sauntered up to him.

"Is it now? I didn't know that." The Immortal sang out. Darla got to him and looked into his eyes. They were as black pits; there was nothing there. No life; no soul; no remorse. She was intrigued by this man and wanted to learn more about him.

"Who are you?" She demanded of him.

"I am the Receiver." He stated simply. Darla smiled. A Receiver, impressive.

"Really?" She said to him as she hooked her arm with his, "Tell me, if you are a Receiver then when were you made?"

"1400." He replied as they walked out from behind the tavern leaving the dead boy.

"Well I must admit, that I have always wanted to meet a Receiver. What is your name?" She asked him, as she looked deeper into his eyes.

"My true name is none of your concern. What is your concern is that I have taken a complete interest in you, and believe me I always get what I want." The Receiver replied as he opened the door to his coach. He motioned for her to get in. Darla, curious as ever, stepped into the coach and sat down. The Receiver climbed in and sat next to her.

"What is your name?" The Receiver asked her.

"Darla." She replied. The Receiver pulled her towards him. Heat coursing through his skin. He had never wanted a creature more than her at this exact moment.

"Darla, such a beautiful name." He said to her as he attempted to kiss her.

"I don't know who you think I am, but I do not just sleep with anyone." She said to him as she pulled away.

"As you wish." The Receiver stated. Darla watched him as he sat at his end of the coach and didn't move. With arousal hitting her hard, she moved to his lap and pulled her skirt up.

"Well," she said to him and she tore his pants open, "you are not an 'anyone' you are a 'someone' and someone's I do sleep with." She pulled him to her and he entered her hard. Darla gasped as she felt him inside her. If she had a need to breathe it might have been at that exact moment. Before the Receiver would allow any more, he signaled for the driver. The driver turned and awaited his instructions.

"Take us home. I wish to be alone with Darla for a few days." The Receiver smiled at her. Darla turned in front of him and the Receiver smiled even bigger, this night was to be the best one in years.

_You cannot imagine the things we did in those few days. We stayed in and make love every hour on the hour. There was no quitting. She enjoyed it as much as I did. She was an amazing partner, never once allowed me to be careful. She brought the animal out in me as I entered her again and again. From this day forward, Darla is the only one for me. My wife was good, at the time, but now I wish for something more, something better. And now I have found her._

Smiling, The Receiver closed his eyes and pictured Darla. Moving the pages of the journal he came across another entry. One that he hated more than anything in the world. Anger coursed through the Receiver's veins. He hated him! There were no words to describe what he was feeling now. The Receiver re-lit another candle and read on.

_15__th__ of July 1753  
That bitch! I can't believe she would do this to me. For the last 33 years she has been mine! She and I have been lovers and confidants and she does this! She finds some new man and leaves with him! I saw her change him, I saw her make him hers. How could she do this to me! How dare she do this to me!_

Galway, Ireland 1753

Darla was getting bored of the Receiver. He was a good lover but she needed some fresh blood. For the past 3 weeks she had been observing a man named Liam. A man who had a temper beyond any she had seen a man have. If his temper were to be harnessed he would make the perfect mate. Darla decided to change him, to make him like her, a vampire and live with for the rest of time. So one night she did. After his drunken ritual she led him into an ally and killed him. She knew the Receiver was watching her. She could feel him wherever he was. As she was changing him she smiled to herself. _Take that you ass! You think you own me, you are mistaken. No one owns me; no one. I own them! _Darla laughed as the young man fell to the ground. She decided she would leave him there for someone to find in the morning. For now, she simply brushed hair from his face and kissed his cheek.

"You will soon live in my world. And you will be the most vicious creature to ever walk the earth! You and I are going to have so much fun." With that Darla walked away from the new corpse. She smiled. When she arrived home she found him waiting for her.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded of him.

"The better question is, who do you think you are?" He replied as he sat watching her.

"I know who I am, do you know who you are?" Darla said as she moved to the bedroom.

"Do not play games with me, Darla!" The Receiver yelled. He got up and went after her. He grabbed her arms and flung her around to face him.

"Take you hand off me." Darla said as she batted his hand away.

"Who is he?" He questioned.

"Who?" Darla asked knowing what he meant.

"The man. The man you changed. Who is he?" The Receiver demanded.

"Oh, you mean the young boy that I sired." Darla said as she moved away from him.

"I would hardly call him a boy." The Receiver said to her as he rolled his eyes. He had seen the man: tall with brown hair and dark eyes, muscular, with an Irish accent when he spoke. He was attractive for a human.

"He is nothing. Just a small gift and toy for myself. You can't be everywhere at once, now can you." Darla said with wink. Inside she was screaming. She wanted nothing but to get rid of the Receiver. That is what Liam was, a replacement for her boredom with the Receiver.

"I see. Is that all he is? Or is there more?" The Receiver asked her. Darla turned to him. She'd had enough. This was over, whatever it was.

"No. You're right. There is more. Actually there is a lot more. This, whatever we are, is over. I can't stand you actually. You disgust me. Everything has become repetitive. There is nothing new. Liam, he is new. He is different and he is going to be more than you will ever be, with the help of me of course." Darla turned from him again. She waited for the response.

"You can not do this to me vampire!" The Receiver snarled.

"I can't?" Darla said, "Watch me." With that she left the room. She walked out the front door only with what she was wearing and left the Receiver screaming in rage.

_I will never forgive her. I will follow her to the ends of the earth if I have to. But she will be mine again. Or I will have to kill that little boy of hers. That is what I wish to do. Unfortunately, my duties as the Receiver are taking me elsewhere. But mark my words, I will find Darla again, and she will pay._

The Receiver stood and slammed the book shut. Indeed he did meet up with Darla again only to find that Angelus was the most important thing to her. The Receiver was no longer an interest in her life. Angelus was everything that Darla had boasted him to be, that and more. The Receiver picked up the journal and placed it carefully back on the shelf. That was enough of memory lane. He'd had enough of wallowing in his self-pity. It was time to move his plan up, to start getting the attention of Angel and his Slayer. The Receiver walked back to the window and looked back out at the New York scene. The cars were long gone by now, and the noise was less. However, there were still people walking the streets and having fun. New York was the city that never slept, or so it was said. The Receiver picked up a picture on his nightstand. The picture was of the Slayer.

Her blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders and her skin radiated with happiness and health. She had the most vibrant green eyes that he had ever seen; the fullest lips and the most delicate nose. She was perfection. He could now see what Angel loved her so much. She was pure radiance; pure beauty. She was much prettier than Darla was and the Receiver had begun a plan that was more destructive than imagined. Angel had taken the one other woman in his life that had meant something to him, so now the Receiver would return the favor. Buffy Summers. She was the most beautiful being that had crossed his path since his wife. It is true that he thought this of Darla, but after peering into Buffy's green eyes and seeing the depths, Darla no longer compared. Buffy was his wife. This he knew for sure. She had her spirit, her soul, and she would be his. Once Angel was out of the way, the Receiver would claim Buffy as his, and there was no way to stop him. The Receiver touched the picture and smiled to himself.

"Soon, we will be together and you will become the vessel that will house my wife's spirit. My wife shall live again, in you. She will be strong, she will be here, and she will be mine once more." The Receiver kissed the picture and set it down. The plan was to put his wife's essence in Buffy's body, reincarnation if you will. He missed his wife so, and he was going to have her again. The Receiver went to his bed and lay down. He looked at the ceiling as he thought his plan through once more. Within the next few weeks, his plan would be perfected and then the world would be sorry that it ever crossed the path of the Immortals, and he would have had his ultimate revenge.


	14. Chapter 14

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**  
Episode 1.14: Tied Up  
Written by Angelwings  
Original airdate: October 13, 2004  
Episode rating: K+

The ropes were brittle and cut into her small wrists drawing blood, they had been tied extra tight, after-all she was the Slayer and he didn't want her breaking free and ruining his plan. Her blonde hair was damp with perspiration and her face flushed from trying to escape. She looked so pretty struggling he thought, she had all the vigor that his wife had before she was killed. She was getting wilder now and screaming louder than before, a swift punch from the Receiver sent Buffy into a sleep, gently touching her face he kissed her lips and called for his Lyphan to take guard.

---

Angel was panicked. Pacing up and down the room he glanced at his phone, again, nothing. She had been gone too long, way too long and Angels gut feeling was that something was wrong. He couldn't wait around any longer, he needed to take action. Grabbing his coat and phone he flew out the door, passing Dawn on the way. "Hey Angel, where's Buffy, I need her to sign something for school," Dawn asked. She obviously couldn't see the worry on his face, "She went out, she'll be back soon", he lied, there was no need getting her all worried, everything could be fine he told himself, but he didn't believe it.

---

Dawn was happy, her room had been painted just the way that she had wanted it, adding another poster to the purple walls she stood back and admired her work. The room had a cool teenage grunge look about it she thought, way cooler than her room in Sunnydale. Flinging herself on her new double bed she started flicking her way through the TV channels, nothing on as usual. Bored she decided to ring Alex, things were going really well at the moment and she was so happy to have her first real boyfriend.

"Hello," came the voice at the other end of the phone.

"Hey, its Dawn." Dawn replied smirking a little.

"Hey Dawn, what's up?" he asked.

"Nothing much, I'm bored, I was wondering if you would like to go out for an ice-cream or something?"

"Yeah sounds great, shall I meet you at Icebergs at eight?"

"Sure, see you at eight." Dawn smiled and hung up the phone, she felt so mature now she had a boyfriend.

---

There was no sign of Buffy any-where, part of Angel wished he still had Wolfram & Hart to help him out, but there was no point thinking about that now. Some one must know where she was, she couldn't of just disappeared, but then again weirder things had been known to happen. In desperation Angel took hold of his cell and rang Wesley.

The two men walked side by side down Main Street. They had been searching for over two hours and they were no closer to finding Buffy. Wesley was trying to be rational about it, but when Angel thought something he was usually right. Wesley looked at Angels face, he hadn't seen him this bad in ... well ever!

"You're thinking Riley and The Receiver have something to do with this aren't you."

"Well they are hounding me, it was only a matter of time before they went after Buffy." Angel stopped walking. "What if they've killed her?"

"Well, I don't know only a little about Receivers, but they cannot kill Slayers."

"But Riley can."

"I don't think that they are stupid enough to kill Buffy, and deep down, I don't think Riley could do it, how about you go home and get some rest, and I'll research The Receiver, see if something new turns up."

"Getting some rest is the last thing on my mind right now, you go, I'll keep looking."

Wesley placed his hand gently on Angel's shoulder, forcing a smile he tried to give Angel some encouragement, but he knew it was no use.

---

Alex was dressed in a plain black t-shirt, denim jacket and his extra baggy jeans, bringing over the ice cream he slid into the booth opposite Dawn and passed her a double-chocolate explosion. The pair were still a little nervous being together, but they had only been going out for a week, not quite sure how she was going to react Alex grabbed her hand under the table. Dawn blushed a little, this relationship thing was new to her, but she liked it so far. Finishing her ice cream she caught a glimpse of the clock.

"Oh my God, I didn't realize it was so late! It's like gone twelve."

"Calm down Dawn, I'll take you home it's only about four blocks away."

"My sister is going to kill me, no she's going to more than kill me, and she's going to.." Alex grabbed Dawn and kissed her stopping her mid rant.

"Come on, I'll walk you home," Sean said taking her by the hand and leading her out of Icebergs'.

It was a cold night, and Dawn couldn't help but shiver. Alex was the perfect gentleman and gently draped his jacket around her shoulders. Holding hands she thought that this was one of those perfect moments like in films and books, but she thought too soon. Three heavy tall guys blocked their way, and Dawn immediately realized they were vampires. "I get the girl", the blonde vampire said to his sidekicks. Before she could react Dawn was pushed aside by Alex. Digging into his side pocket he brought out a stake and rushed the vamp. The vampire was too large and bulky and Alex just fell to the ground. As the vamp punched at his face Alex rolled out of the way and managed to kick the vamp at the knee causing him to fall to the ground. In one quick motion the vamp was dusted and Alex stood victorious. Smiling with satisfaction, he didn't realize that the other two vamps were coming at him fast. Dawn rushed to his aid and took on the smaller of the two, she had a stake with her too, after-all she never left the house without one, and dodged an attack from her opponent. She managed a punch to the vampire's jaw but he hardly felt it.

"Alex, I think we should run." Dawn suggested as she noticed he was having trouble with his vamp to, Alex was knocked to the ground hard and blood trickled from the back of his head.

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea." he answered. Alex grabbed Dawn by the hand and they ran between the vamps as fast as they could. Running down a back alley the two vamps were gaining on them fast. One vamp dived on Dawn and brought her down to the ground hard. Incredible pain from her neck sent shivers down the whole of her body and slowly everything faded to black.

---

Buffy sat still in her prison. She had been there for over half a day now, and the sight of the room made her feel sick. She was being held in the basement of what appeared an old house. The walls were painted an off white colour that was orange in places and peeling off on one wall where it had been affected by the damp. There was no furniture in the room, just a lone chair that Buffy was tied to and had been bolted to the floor. If Buffy was at full vampire-slayer strength she could of easily broken the legs of the chair and attacked Riley even without the use of her arms but she was still feeling weak from the drugs Riley had used to capture her. When she returned to full slayer strength she would kick that son of a bitch's ass till he wished he was dead, but she'd have to wait for now. Riley eyed the Slayer, he could see her mind ticking over with escape plans and the different ways that she could kill him. Leaning against one wall he chuckled to himself. "You must be kicking yourself, all your years of fighting and saving the world and it's finally me who takes you down. A human." Buffy tried to speak but she was gagged and it hurt her mouth. "What's wrong Buff? Usually you're full of witty come-backs, cat got your tongue?" Buffy couldn't believe that she had actually felt for Riley once, it repulsed her to think of how she could of ever slept with him, let him touch her. " You know what, I used to think I could never love any-one like I loved you, and I never could, I fooled myself with Sam and she could tell. You torment me Buffy, sometimes more than I can stand. " Buffy laughed through the gag. "Don't you laugh at me bitch!" Riley leapt across the room to Buffy and held her head in his hand. "You'd better watch yourself Buffy, remember you're the one all tied up and I could make your life absolute hell right now." Buffy continued to laugh aggravating Riley even more. Raising his hand as if to strike her he was stopped by the Receiver who had just entered the basement and stood at the top of the stairs, "Leave her, I need her conscious." Riley obeyed his master and agitated walked upstairs.

---

Wesley forced himself to stay awake, he had to find some-thing about The Receiver that would help Angel. Glancing at his book again he re-read what he had already found weeks ago.

_'Receivers steal the souls of champions and who are considered heroes by their people. They must feed off three souls a day to sustain their strength and are unable to kill Slayers due to the balance of good and evil._ _They have the ability to regenerate themselves and cannot be killed. They can only obtain death once they complete their curse or if their master is willing to let them go.' _

If only he could find some-thing about the Masters, maybe they were the key. Wesley picked up the phone and dialed. He knew he needed help and he could think of only one man for the job.

---

Angel was about to head home, Buffy wasn't any-where to be seen and he'd have to break the news to Dawn sooner or later. Suddenly Angel was snapped out of thought by a commotion up ahead. Breaking into a run Angel threw a large looking vampire off a young boy and slammed him into the wall. He couldn't help but take his frustration out on the vamp and forgot about the boy. Alex was slumped against the wall and hurt pretty bad, through his pain he managed to get Angel's attention, "Dawn, help Dawn." Angel looked at the boy and recognized him as Dawns date for the prom. Alex pointed to where Dawn was a little up ahead. Angel quickly dusted the vamp he was holding and headed for Dawn. He couldn't believe he had let himself get so distracted with that one vamp. The vampire that was feeding from Dawn had seen his buddy get staked and ran off. Dawn lay lifeless on the ground with a deep neck wound where he had bitten her. "Oh God, Dawn." Angel checked she was breathing, picking her up in his arms Angel rushed her to the ice-cream shop around the corner and shouted for some-one to call her an ambulance. Leaving her in the arms of a waitress Angel rushed back for Alex who had passed out. If Dawn died he would never forgive himself.

A small skinny brown skinned demon entered the house clutching an old leather book. His hands looked like deformed claws and they were too large for his body. His head was mostly bald with sparse clumps of long gray hair draping down his back. His head was covered in wounds and dried clumps of crimson blood. He had no facial features, just a blank face covered in skin but he was able to see using his demon senses. He wore a long ragged brown cloak that draped on the floor and Riley thought he was the most ugly demon he had ever seen in his whole life.

"Uh, you must be Eregus". Riley would of held out a hand to greet the creature but eyeing his hands he decided not to.

"Yeeeth, I am." Eregus answered. His voice was raspy and high pitched and he cocked his head when he spoke.

"Eregus!" the Receiver had come to greet the demon. "I'm glad that you could come at such short notice, please what news do you have, and is it possible?"

"I have managed to obtain the magical items and all the spell ingredients required, except one, the blood of a Hemus demon."

"But Hemus demons are all dead by now."

"Well actually no, I heard of one right here in New York, all we have to do is find it, kill it, drain it within ten seconds of its death and we have everything we need."

The Receiver looked smugly at Eregus, " Well then you fool what the hell are you doing here, go and get the blood! Actually on second thoughts I need you, I don't want you to get hurt and I don't want you to mess it up, I'll go. Riley you watch the girl and make sure she doesn't escape and Eregus you can prepare the spell and set it up here. I won't be long." With that the Receiver exited the building along with his Lyphans in search of the Hemus demon.

---

Angel was waiting in the hospital. He felt overwhelmed with guilt, Dawn had lost a lot of blood and needed a transfusion. The hospital lights were intruding and hurt his eyes to look into them. A nurse with curly blonde hair came up to Angel, " Mr. Angel, Dawn is doing fine, the transfusion went well and she should resume consciousness anytime now." "Thank you." Angel replied. He didn't think he could of bare it if anything had happened to her, "and Alex is fine, a few bad cuts and a concussion but we've patched him up and his parents should be arriving shortly to pick him up." Angel smiled at the nurse and walked outside, he had to get out of that place, aimlessly he wandered the streets.

Soon Angel had the feeling that he was being followed. Turning around sharply he saw a figure in the distance. _'Buffy?' _Angel walked quickly towards the figure, but as he neared the figure was a man. Riley.

"Riley, if you've got Buffy or you've hurt her I swear to God I will fucking kill you!"

Riley smiled, "Yes, we have Buffy, myself and the Receiver but don't worry she's fine, for now, but by the time the sun rises she might not be Buffy any-more."

"What is that supposed to mean, she won't be Buffy any more?"

"Well I believe you know my psycho boss, well he's going to use Buffy's body as vessel for his wife's spirit to be forced into, and right now my boss is out getting the last ingredient of the spell to do it."

Angel suddenly became suspicious, "why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because I don't want Buffy to die in this way. I have bigger plans for her."

Angel sprung forward and pinned Riley by his neck against a wall, "listen here fish boy, if this is some kind of a plan I will cause you so much pain that you will not be able to carry on living, I will torture you so bad that you will wish you had never been born, do I make myself clear?" Riley struggled to breath but managed to nod his head a little. Angel let him go and stepped backwards.

"Take me to Buffy."

"No, I'm not taking you to Buffy, you can't get into the building anyway, it has some kind of vampire repellent on it, and plus there's a really ugly demon magic guy there that I'm thinking you shouldn't mess with. The Receiver is out now looking for the last ingredient for the spirit spell, the blood of a Hemus demon. Now there is only one left, I figure if you get to the demon first, kill it and make sure the Receiver doesn't get the demons blood within ten seconds of its death, the blood is useless and no spell."

Angel didn't like following Riley's plan but he had no choice, if he was telling the truth then Buffy would be dead in less than a few hours.

"Where is the demon?"

"Don't know, you'll have to figure that out yourself."

---

Wesley was still researching the Receiver when Angel burst into his apartment. "Angel, any news?" Angel was become increasingly agitated and needed help quick, " Riley and the Receiver, they have her some-where, the Receiver is trying to perform some kind of spirit swapping spell with the help of another demon but he needs one more ingredient, I find it before he does and I can save Buffy. I need your help though, the last ingredient is the blood of...' Wesley quickly interrupted, "the blood of a Hemus demon, nearly extinct but there is one more left, I heard from rumors that its located somewhere by the lake, likes the humidity around there as it lives underground." Grabbing his coat and some weapons Wesley locked up his apartment and the pair headed to the lake.

---

Wesley started examining the ground and Angel looked on helplessly. Playing with the axe he had in his hand Angel realized that this was going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack. A deep growl got their attention, it didn't sound too far away and Wesley confirmed it was the sound of the Hemus demon. Angel ran towards the sound leaving Wesley trailing behind him. Axe raised he fought his way through a large cluster of trees and spotted the demon up ahead. The demon was quite small, but he had learnt not to judge a book by its cover a long time ago. As Angel neared the demon he spotted the Receiver and his dogs nearing the creature. As one Lyphan leapt towards the demon Angel threw the axe which lodged in the Lyphans throat. The Lyphan collapsed on the ground and dark crimson blood collected in a puddle around it. The Receiver also collapsed to the ground, he felt the pain just as the Lyphan had and he screamed in rage. "GET HIM, GET HIM!" The Receiver ordered the other Lyphan. Wesley had now caught up with Angel, with a sword in his hand he headed towards the Lyphan and signaled for Angel to get the Hemus demon who had by now ran away. Catching up with the demon Angel realized how much it looked like an animal, hardly like a demon at all. Diving at the small furry demon Angel brought it down hard. Struggling the demon revealed very large and a lot of sharp teeth, plunging them into Angels arm, in pain Angel dropped the demon, and felt his arm go numb. The demon turned itself to face Angel and leapt at his face, it managed to bite him again but Angel used his other arm to snap the demons neck mid-bite. Pulling the demon off his face, it left huge long teeth in Angel's head. Removing them proved very painful, but Angel didn't care, he just wanted to find Buffy. Angel waited to make sure that ten seconds had passed after killing the demon, and waited ten extra seconds just incase, and then tossed the demons little body into the lake. The Receiver and his Lyphans had left. Wesley had been hurt by the Lyphans attack and Angel helped him off the floor.

Buffy woke up, she was finally getting stronger, and she hadn't been drugged in a while. Finding her strength she managed to get one hand free but stopped when Riley came downstairs. "Oh great, you again." Buffy was about to go into some rant about how pathetic and useless Riley was when he neared her with a blade. Struggling to free her other hand Buffy panicked, in this state Riley would be able to beat her. "Don't panic Slayer, I'm letting you go. But before you leave you have to do something for me."

---

The Receiver carried his dead Lyphan back into his house. Defeated and enraged he threw the creature against a wall and collapsed onto his knees. "There must be another way to get her back, there must be another way, and Eregus must be mistaken." Entering the room when Eregus had been preparing the spell the Receiver stopped in shock. Eregus had been killed, then he noticed Riley on the floor battered and bruised. Racing downstairs to the basement he laughed at the sight of the empty chair, then he broke into an incredible rage and ripped the chair from the floor and shattered it into a hundred pieces. Riley walked into the basement "she just, somehow she just escaped, I tried to stop her but she knocked me out, some-how, she was at full slayer strength, I was no match for her." The Receiver turned his attention to Riley, and blood splattered the floor.

---

Wesley lay on the sofa, the Lyphan had rushed him hard and he believed it had broken some ribs. The doorbell rang forcing Wesley to get up and answer it. Opening the door a very English accent greeted him ,"Hello Wesley." Wesley smiled, he hadn't expected him to get there so soon, but he probably had some kind of magical aid. "Hello Giles, " he answered ushering the watcher inside.

---

Dawn lay awake in the hospital, she hated being in them as they brought back memories of her mother. Bored out of her mind she tried to grabbed the TV remote, but the batteries were dead.

"Hey Dawn, I just came to see if you were ok."

"Alex, I thought you had gone home."

"Well I did, my parents were kind of freaked and stuff, but I managed to sneak back to make sure that you were alright."

"Yeah I'm fine, a little groggy and incredibly bored though. So, you know about vampires and stuff. I mean you were great with that first vamp."

"Thanks, I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

"Hey it wasn't your fault, I should have been better than that, I mean my sisters a Slayer and she trains me and stuff. So when did you first learn about vampires and that?"

"My fathers a watcher."

"Hey Alex, will you do me a 'huge' favour?"

"Yeah sure, anything."

"Can you turn the TV on for me please, the remotes kind of dead."

---

Angel sat at the kitchen table, Buffy could be home any time soon, that's if Riley had been telling the truth and everything had gone like they had planned. Kathy wrapped a bandage around Angel's head and arm and sat herself down quietly. It seemed like an eternity of waiting but finally the door opened and Angel didn't think he had been so glad to see Buffy in his life. She was dirty and a little wounded but she looked more beautiful than she had ever looked before. Rushing from the table he embraced Buffy in silence.


	15. Chapter 15

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**  
Episode 1.15: Life's Little Gifts  
Written by Heaven  
Original airdate: October 20, 2004  
Episode rating: K+

At 7:00am, Faith woke to the sounds of breakfast being made, and not with the usual silent grace of Angel. She got dressed and wandered to the kitchen to see what was going on, and to get some breakfast of her own. She sat down at the table, and smiled at Connor, who was working at the stove.

"Hey kid" Faith murmured, still not fully awake.

"Faith, what are you doing up so early?" Connor handed her a cup of coffee, freshly brewed, and a plate of scrambled eggs.

"I thought I'd get out of this rut I'm in and look for a job. I can't mooch off Angel any longer. I've overstayed my welcome. It's getting a little cramped." Faith smiled and took a sip of coffee. "Mm…coffee."

"That's too bad. It's really great having another super-human around, one that isn't a parent, or sleeping with my parent. It's like having a super-cool sister" Connor grinned and started to eat his scrambled eggs.

"I'll visit. I don't know exactly when I'm leaving. But before I do, I need to get a job." Faith picked up the newspaper and flipped through it.

"Before you go, though, tell me about the battle with the First. It sounds exciting, but Dawn and Buffy won't say anything detailed."

"Well, this was a monster who could turn into any dead person…"

For the rest of the morning, they exchanged war stories, and battle scars. They even got into great detail about where the power they both had inside them came from. They were still sitting at the table, scrambled eggs and coffee getting cold, when Angel woke up around noon.

"Uh, guys? Breakfast a little late?" Angel gestured to the spongy, cold, eggs on the table, barely even half eaten.

"Hi Angel, did you have a good sleep?" Faith purposely avoided the question, and changed the subject.

"Uh, yah, I did. Connor, what are you still doing home? And Faith, I thought you were going job-hunting." Angel went into automatic Dad mode.

"Chill Dad, I don't have classes until one." Connor smiled reassuringly, and leapt up to clean the table, leaving Faith to talk to Angel.

"I guess I got a little distracted. Connor has been all over, it's amazing how much this boy's been through" Faith said under her breath to Angel, not wanting Connor to know she was impressed.

"Yah, he had a hard life. Which is why I'm glad we have Buffy living with us. We really needed a Slayer in L.A. New York's lucky, it has three."

"Oh, about that. Angel, as soon as I get a job, I'm moving out. I can't stay with you guys, I'm imposing on the "happy family" image you have going for you." Faith smirked and gestured around the room.

"Don't be ridiculous, you're part of the family. But I understand. Just remember, you're always welcome here." Angel beamed warmly.

"I should be going, I have to go hunting. Bye Connor, bye Angel." Faith sauntered out of the kitchen to get her jacket.

Buffy dusted another vamp, which was taking cover in an abandoned factory, and turned to her team, who was all wiping dust off their clothes.

"Wow, I haven't worked this hard since Sunnydale. There haven't been this many nests since…well, ever! Something big is defiantly going down, soon. Keep your eyes open."

"Don't worry Buff, we got it covered." A man named Eddy Fallow piped up snidely, putting a sarcastic emphasis on "Buff". Eddy was one of the people in L.A she truly despised. He was self-absorbed, superficial and a slimy human being. She knew she couldn't trust him, but she was stuck working with him until he died, or got fired, or quit. She really was hopeful one of those would happen, because, it was just gut instinct but, she just knew he was a baddie. Not a demon variety, but just a bad, cheating, low life human baddie. She hated human baddies; they were the kind she couldn't kill.

"I'm sure you do, but we're a team, and that includes me." Buffy shot back. Eddy was really sexist, and that made her hate him even more. She could take any of them, ALL six of them, in a fight. Even if they had weapons, and she was bare handed. She didn't need them around, but she appreciated their help, most of the time.

"Sure, whatever" Eddy turned and walked out of the building.

"Don't worry 'bout him, Buffy, he's just a little stung. He wanted your spot on this squad. He doesn't deal with rejection very well." Another man from her team, Jeff, put in. Jeff was probably her favorite to work with, aside from West, but he wasn't here anymore. He was really nice. Shy, but nice. He was all technique and skill. He didn't crack jokes, or anything. He reminded her of Wesley, she thought wistfully. _Wes…I wonder how you're doing now. _Buffy smiled and caught up to the group that was getting further and further away.

Kathy screamed as Dawn jumped out from behind the fountain in front of the school.

"Dawn! That's not amusing!" Kathy's Irish lilt still hadn't completely faded, though her slang was improving.

"Sorry Kaths, I couldn't resist." Dawn grinned, "I'm just so happy. Alex asked me to dinner, like, a real dinner date. I've never been on one of those"

"That's great Dawn! I still don't know when Sean will ask me out… but I'm hoping it's soon." Kathy felt lost. She couldn't remember a time when she was more confused. They picked up their books and walked down to the road to wait for Faith to pick them up.

"I bet it will be soon. That boy really likes you" Dawn smiled reassuringly.

"I hope so…" Kathy looked off in the distance, remembering the first day they met the boys.

"Don't worry. You could even ask him out, it's perfectly acceptable now" Kathy's head jerked up suddenly "What? That's…that's…a really good idea!" She smirked in the way she'd seen Dawn do many times, and in her head formed a plan.

As Faith walked down the busiest street of New York she could find, desperately looking into each window for "Help Wanted" signs. But so far she'd had no luck. For starters, she had no credentials… she'd never needed a job, between being a "Want, Take, Have" badass Slayer, to an assassin for the Mayor, and then Wolfram & Hart, and jail, then saving the world, she never needed money. It was almost always provided for her. This whole experience was new to her, and she was failing miserably. She had stopped for lunch, using the Wolfram & Hart credit card she'd managed to nab from her last visit to the evil law firm. She didn't feel the least remorse about stealing money from the place, besides giving her serious wiggins, they were evil, and rich, and also, she had a bit of the old Faith in her, intolerance for people who screwed her over. It would work for a while, but they'd catch on pretty soon, and cut off her account, so she really needed to find a job. After lunch, she decided to try the more deserted streets, and finally found a small magic shop called Wisps of Light. It looked foreboding, but it was the only place that needed help right now, and Faith was desperate, more then she'd ever been, excluding the time she let Angel see her cry, so Faith walked in, with her head held high.

"Hello? Is there anyone here? I'm here about…" Faith stopped suddenly, spotting a woman with white hair and a frail figure standing behind the counter, and a quiet, hoarse voice drifted into her ears.

_Welcome child, I assume you're here about the sign in my window? _The words swirled in and out of her head, so that Faith almost mistook them for her own thoughts. She wasn't sure if the woman behind the counter had spoken, but her gut said no.

"Uh, yes, I am. I have a little experience in retail-" Faith stretched the truth a little, remembering a storekeeper she had once killed, between Sunnydale and L.A. She instantly felt guilty. "-Well, no, okay, I didn't. But I'm a quick learner and I need the money." She struggled not to sound too desperate, but only managed to keep her voice at a minimal level of self pity.

_No worries child, we're always in need here, clerks, stackers, and even researchers, but most of all, we need defense. _The old lady was about to continue, but Faith interrupted her.

"What do you mean, you need defense? What would anyone want with a magic shop?" Faith fired questions at the woman.

_Child, please, let us speak over an herbal tea. All will be explained in time, just trust in the Powers. _Against her better judgment, she followed the woman behind the counter, through the beaded curtain, and into the little room that was labeled "office". At the back of her mind, a thought hit her. _I must be crazy, but I really need the money_, and Faith knew she'd do anything to get paid, which almost made her break down again. She hated being helpless. As they sat down, the old woman handed her a mug. It was still warm, but not hot, as if the woman knew exactly when she would show up. A shiver ran up her spine, but she ignored it. Faith took a small sip. The brew tasted tangy and bitter at the same time, which struck her as odd. There was also a familiar taste, but she couldn't place it, so again, she ignored the chill up her spine.

"Child, tell me your name." The woman spoke for the first time, and her voice was just as quiet and as hoarse as the voice in her head.

"Faith. And yours?" Faith purposely left out a last name. She was a lot friendlier, but she still had a sense of distrust with people, Angel excluded.

"I am Ms. Kyara Timbol" Kyara raised an eyebrow in question, obviously thrown off by Faith's omission, but didn't say anything.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Timbol. So, I'm here about a job. Maybe you can help?" Faith smiled warmly, taking another sip of her herbal tea.

"I may, yes. I need to know though, many don't wander in here without having a distinct interest in the occult, why are you so eager to work here?" Faith considered lying and telling her she was somewhat of an occult expert, but decided that would take too much to explain, so she settled with the truth.

"I need the money" Faith lowered her head in modesty, something that was new to her.

"Ah, well. I admire your honesty. I have a few more questions. Do you object?"

"No, of course not." Faith smiled a small, wistful smile. Kyara reminded her of Giles when she'd first met him, quiet, serene, and with impeccable English. Though Kyara didn't have the distinguished British accent, her voice had a tinge of the same pride in her own intelligence. Despite the weird feeling in her gut, Faith had to admit, it would be nice to be around some other elder that always knew what to do.

"Do you know much of the occult?"

"Almost more then I'd like. I have some friends interested in the subject, and I often get dragged along." Faith left out the part of her doing the dragging, and the fact that her friends had learned all they knew trying to help her and Buffy out with their many life-threatening apocalypses. Kyara smiled in that small, secretive way, almost as if she knew what Faith wasn't saying, which didn't sit well with Faith, but for the millionth time, Faith decided she was just paranoid.

"Very good. Have you ever encountered one of the occult? An example would be a Witch, very common, despite the discrimination."

"Well, actually, yes. I've met many an occult…uh, person" Faith stammered, trying to figure out whether the woman was in the know about vampires, demons and true witches.

"That's good. Last question, are you familiar with the terms Slayer, Receiver, Vampire and The Child?" Faith almost choked on her tea. She knew for sure this question was hitting a little close to home, but she _really_ needed the money, so she played along, but kept her guard up.

"I've vaguely read about the Slayer in some ancient texts, and vampires are a…passion of mine, you could say. But I've never heard of a Receiver or the Childe." Faith hoped the bit about the vampires wouldn't make the woman suspicious. And she denied her knowledge of the Receiver, for now, because she really didn't know that much. But she honestly had never heard of the Childe, whoever, or whatever, he or she or it is.

"Well, that's more than I hear from most other of my potential employees." Kyara beamed so brightly that Faith was stunned. She hadn't been expecting such a show of emotion; it almost brought down her walls of distrust so fast she was blown away. It was if she had been hit with a physical blow to her defenses, except that both the offense and the defense were purely mental.

"Uh, yah, thanks, I try." Faith recovered quickly, and beamed back.

"You're hired. We need to next discuss times." Kyara poured her some more tea, and pulled out a clipboard. She handed Faith a paper with dates and times. "These times are for the next six months. If you could work those, that would be great. The pay is $30.00 an hour, with a 30 discount on items in the store." Faith glanced over the paper, and saw nothing that she could object to, folded the paper and tucked it into her jacket pocket.

Kyara continued, "For your first week, there will be employees there to assist you in whatever you may need, answer any questions you may have. This will be your training session, therefore you will not be paid the first week, but for the following weeks after that, you will be receiving a check in the mail every Saturday morning." Kyara's quiet voice disappeared and Faith was reminded strongly of Wesley, with the way he had of taking charge of situations when Angel hadn't been there. Faith nodded, and then, after all was confirmed, her first shift was the following Monday, she left through the front door, out into the fading light. It was darker then she expected, and she hurried home. She still was unable to shake the chilled feeling inside her. It wasn't until she was back home, eating the dinner prepared by Connor, that it occurred to her that she had never given Kyara her address. Faith finished dinner quickly, and went to her room to think.

_Vampires, Slayers, mysterious people, the voice in my head…what's going on?_ Faith wished she could figure it out, but it made no sense. She knew for sure something weird was happening, but she was too tired to think it through with any precision. In fact, she was extremely tired. More then she'd been in a long while. She barely had enough energy to change out of her jeans before she collapsed on the bed in a deep sleep. Her last thought before her head hit the pillow was; _I know what was in the tea…_ and she knew right there and then that there was a chance she would never wake up.

"Well, that was weird." Connor remarked as Faith stumbled off to her bedroom.

"She was never one for words." Angel joked a little, trying to reassure himself something wasn't wrong. She hadn't spoken since coming home and he was worried. Not too worried, because he trusted her judgment, and he knew her outer and inner strength like no one else, but he still worried about her on the odd occasion, like this one.

"I wonder what she's gotten herself into this time." Buffy rolled her eyes jokingly. Despite they're rocky past, Buffy harbored no more harsh feelings towards her fellow Slayer, and there was no malice in what she said, only a joke between the family.

She caught on to Angel's worry vibe though, so she kept her jabs to the minimum. Dawn and Kathy didn't notice at all, though. They had eaten before the rest of them, and were currently in their shared room, talking on the phone to Alex and Sean. Buffy knew for a fact that Dawn still hadn't spoken in detail to Alex about how everything would change now. She had hoped her sister would find someone normal, but it seemed with Summers family, that was impossible. She smiled as she thought of Angel, and decided that it wasn't _such_ a bad thing. But she still wondered in Sean knew, and who his father is, or was. She heard that the First had blown up the Watchers Council in England, and hoped with all her heart that Alex's father wasn't in the building at the time. And she also wondered if Alex's father ever had a Slayer in his charge. She fell asleep with these questions in mind, after kissing Angel goodnight, praying that he stayed safe, making sure Dawn and Kathy were in bed, and that Connor would be up and ready for school the next morning.

_Faith woke up in a strange bed, and a strange world. The bed looked a lot like Buffy's in Sunnydale. Which was weird, because Sunnydale was blown up. Her vision was pretty foggy, and she tried to shake it off, but it didn't work. A blur of blond hair bounced into the room._

_"Hey big sister!" Faith assumed that the blonde was about 15, give or take a year. But oh my god… she looked so much like B… Faith could've sworn it was she. In her mind, she knew this girl. Knew who she was… but couldn't place her._

_"Hey kid." Faith responded with that phrase she was familiar with. Her body and mind seemed to know exactly what to do as she took the blonde into her arms, giving her a big sister bear hug. The girl pouted._

_"Don't call me kid. I have a name!" Faith wished she'd tell her exactly what that name was, but didn't press it. Instead she shooed the child out of her room to get dressed. As she opened her closet (that looked a lot like Buffy's in her room back home), she gaped. All of B's clothes were lined up… in her size. Faith stumbled back and tripped over something. As she lay on the floor, the fogginess not gone, she fumbled to feel out what she tripped over. It was a chest. She opened it. Inside were weapons, books, and as much Holy Water as someone could ever dream for. She decided this was just a little too weird, and got up quickly. She looked first in the mirror, to see if this was some strange flashback to the time when she inhabited Buffy's body. Nope, she looked like good old Faith… at 16. Well, sort of. Her eyes were brighter, her hair fuller, shinier, and her skin wasn't as pale. She looked… happy. Which wasn't something she was used to seeing. Even her heart felt lighter. She decided then and there something was definitely weird. She put on some jeans and a t-shirt that looked like they might have belonged to her in another life. The fabric felt strange on her skin. She was used to leather, satin and cotton, not lace. Then, after deciding no makeup would suit her better right now, she wandered downstairs, and almost ran back up when she spotted Joyce Summers._

_"I- I…" Faith stammered, confused and really wigged out._

_"Faith, honey, do you want some eggs?" Joyce held up a frying pan. "You need to start fresh on your first day of high school." Faith couldn't speak. It was almost as if-_

_"What? Now, because you're a high school student, you're embarrassed to talk you mother at home?" Joyce faked a pout, and started to pile eggs onto three different plates. _

_Faith almost choked. "Mom? What now? This isn't me… this is B's life!"_

_"Oh, Buffy! Welcome to the world of the living!" Joyce smiled to show she was kidding, and handed the golden girl her breakfast. Faith sat down reluctantly, and started to pick at her scrambled eggs. It was strange, but it was her favorite food. How could Joyce know? And how was she here? Joyce was dead, rest her soul, and Buffy was in New York, as was SHE!_

_"So, Faith, looking forward to going to Sunnydale High?" Joyce asked, brightly. Then she frowned, and looked to the stairs. "Someone's going to have to teach that girl to wake up! Faith, would you mind?" Joyce looked at her expectantly. Faith just nodded silently._

_As she climbed the stairs, thoughts whirled through her head, theories and plans, one more confusing then the next. She couldn't make sense of her situation, which was a first. This made no sense. First, she's 24 and living off the food of Angel and Buffy, very much in love, then she's in Buff's house, sixteen, and she has two sisters. It's almost as if someone wrote her into Buffy's life. She looked from one room to another, finally finding one occupied, by a brunette girl who looked about twelve. "Dawn…" Faith walked quietly over to the bed, and stared down at the sleeping child. She almost didn't wake her, but decided now was not the time to confuse things even more by getting into a fight with Joyce. She placed a hand on Dawn's shoulder, and almost immediately, Dawn flipped her over. Faith was stunned. She never would have guessed someone so young would have so much strength in them._

_"Gotcha!" Dawn laughed in Faith's face, and that pissed her off to no limit, so she kicked her leg out and tripped Dawn, just for fun. But she stopped herself from doing anything more, because a Slayer's hormones were a lot more prone to anger, and she might use her super strength and hurt Dawn, which she didn't want to do. If she still had her super strength. Dawn fell, and growled, then got up and pushed Faith out of the room._

_"Out! I need to change!" And she slammed the door in her older sister's face. Faith chuckled, but then shook her head. What am I doing here? was her last thought before she blacked out again._

After thinking over all her options all morning at work, she decided that she needed to deal with some things. After explaining everything to Angel, he agreed to find someone to fill in, seeing as he, obviously, couldn't, in exchange for her taking over for him for a night, or joining him. First on her list of plans was to pay a friendly visit to Alex's parents. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, or them, but she thought they might like to know that there were four Slayers in residence at her house. Maybe even more around the New York area. And she needed to know what they were going to do about the vampire nests. Though she'd never admit it to anyone but herself, Faith and Giles, she missed having a Watcher. It was nice to have someone around who always knew what to do, or if they didn't, where to find the solution. She had called Alex's parents in advance, getting the phone number from Dawn, and arranged to be at their house about 10:00, to give them time to see Alex off to school. From the way they sounded on the phone, she got the feeling they were in awe of her, though she couldn't imagine why. Yes, she saved the word, A LOT, but she had help. She wouldn't have made it this far without Will, Xander, Giles and the other Scoobies. _Even Spike…_ But Buffy brushed that thought away. She had Angel. Spike was dust, gone. She knew Dawn resented her and Angel deep down for the execution of the bleached blonde reformed bloodsucker, but there wasn't anything else they could have done. He was a threat to Angel. Despite their past, Buffy still harbored hate for all the vile things he did to her. _With_ she corrected herself. Buffy dismissed all thoughts of her ex as she knocked on the mahogany door.

Kathy wandered around the school hallways, looking around. It still amazed her how much had changed. She was finally allowed to go to school, without stuffy tutors teaching her nothing but crochet and manners. But she wanted to see Sean. Which was what had led her away from Alex, Dawn, Shred, Ty, Heather, Knife, Rod, B.J and Zak, and into the hallways. He wasn't really around much, and she wanted to find him, to talk, or something. Alex was doing an okay job at fitting in with their "crowd", but Sean seemed so uncomfortable around everyone, she needed to know if they would work. She was getting so much closer to Heather, who had a darkness that drew Kathy to her, as did Knife. Kathy sighed. At the moment, she was terribly confused. Sean was the sweetest guy she could ever hope to meet. But then she was so intrigued by Knife…it was almost as if he had some spell over her. She hadn't told Dawn, but every night, after everyone was asleep, she went out. Nowhere in particular, she just loved the dark. Once, on her night out, she ran in Knife. It was so weird. He just stood there, smiling, and then he gestured her towards him. They talked for a while, about why they were both there, why they needed to just get out. It was the most connection she'd felt with anyone. He'd been on her mind since then, but she'd never seen him out again at night. Kathy turned down another hallway, one she'd never been down before, and stopped suddenly. It was Sean, and a girl who she didn't know. They were making out against the lockers. He had his tongue in her mouth, and his hand up her shirt. Time stood still for Kathy. She just stood there, staring. Then she turned, and ran.

Buffy sat in a lush living room, with a cup of tea (who'd a thunk it?) in her hand, listening to Mr. Rogers explain about how he came to live in New York.

"You see, the explosion in England, not to mention the Bringers killing off Watchers, forced many of us to go into hiding, and to find shelter and lives elsewhere. Which is why we came here. I was intent on giving up my position as a Watcher when my son was born, but I couldn't then, and I guess I can't now." Mr. Rogers sighed, and took a sip of his coffee. Buffy took a minute to notice the differences in Giles and Wesley's accents and his. His was less elegant, like Giles' had changed to after the weary life of Sunnydale wore down his heart, and he sounded like he had a lot of experience on the battlefield.

"Mr. Rogers, I hope you don't think I'm implying that you train me, or any other potential Slayers," Buffy corrected herself, still living in the times where there was only one Slayer, "-because we are fine. I just thought you might want to know…" Buffy trailed off as Mr. Rogers burst into laughter.

"Dear, dear Buffy. That's not what I do. There are a lot of different positions of Watcher. In fact, that word is too vague. I'm in charge of capturing rogue Slayers. I believe I may have been to Sunnydale once, in search of Faith."

"Oh, well, I guess I met you then." Buffy remembered being in Faith's body, and knocking out one or two Watchers in the process of getting to Giles. She also remembered helping Angel escape in L.A. from the same Watchers. She remembered Angel hitting her, when she tried to make him let Faith go. Mr. Rogers had reopened a lot of emotional scars, purely by mistake, and caused her to falter in her game plan.

"Well, it was great talking to you, but I- I need to go." Buffy all but stumbled out the door. Once she was out in the cool air, Buffy decided there was another person she needed to visit… one she hadn't heard from since the move to New York.

Connor was sitting in his room, just wondering about his first day. NYU had been better then he could've possibly imagined. The campus was unlike any he had seen before. There was so much to explore, stuff that just couldn't covered in one day. He'd already seen the stuff that interested in, like science, and whatever they had for sports. Ever since he found out (or, remembered) that he had super powers, he was interested in honing his skills further, even though they were pretty sharp already. He was also interested in the occult, due to recent "incidents", and he was surprised when he saw a meeting for those interested in that kind of study. They really covered everything. It was amazing. But he was also thinking about Faith. Not in the creepy way he'd thought about Cordy so many years and alternate universes ago, but he was worried. He hadn't seen her leave her room since the night before, and even for her… it was weird. Plus, she had work today. He found the schedule when he was doing laundry. His parents had made him do his own laundry, so when he moved in with Angel, and Buffy, and the family, he found that no one was ever home, so he took the chore upon himself. She had missed work, which, though he didn't know her all that well, didn't seem like something she could afford to do. After much thinking, he decided to check on her. He knocked on the door, and when he got no answer, he walked in, being careful that he didn't see anything incriminating, because he respected Faith, and didn't want to have to deal with his teenage mind later in life. He was in, and she was covered, but she didn't wake up. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was deep and slow, like she was in a deep sleep. But this wasn't any deep sleep. Her eyelids were twitching, as were her fingers, and toes. Her hair was mussed, and her face was smiling. It looked peaceful, and he knew that was never good. As he checked her pulse, he called Wesley, who was the expert on these things, and waited urgently for the British man to pick up his phone.

When Buffy rung the doorbell of Wesley's apartment, she was surprised that her old Watcher Rupert Giles answered. Not very surprised though, because her friends had been showing up everywhere. She hugged him, and he hugged back.

"Giles! Wow, it's been so long. I haven't seen you since… since that day, when we all said goodbye, and I missed you so much!" Buffy felt a tear run down her cheek as the impact of what she just felt hit her. She didn't want the Scooby Gang to stay split. Her greatest wish was that they could all see each other every day, like they used to.

"Yes, it has been a long time. I see you've been well. Now is no time for stories though, because Wesley and I are currently doing some important research." Buffy laughed at that. Of course, what would Giles be doing besides research? Giles let her in, and she saw that Wesley was talking on the phone, and books were spread out as if they, indeed, had been doing research. Then she noticed the Whiskey bottle and decided it was probably more of a catch-up session than anything. As soon as she had sat down though, Wesley hung up and ushered Buffy and Giles down the stairs and into his car. He explained on the way.

"Faith's gone into some coma-like state. Connor is panicking, and he needs us there, now. He says he doesn't know what caused it, but that she missed work. He's calling them right now, to explain that she was sick." Wesley turned to look at Buffy. "I don't know what you've done, but that kid is different then the hell dimension brat that I knew once."

"Well, I try." Buffy smiled weakly, terror running through her veins. If anything happened to Faith…

_Faith was in jail, but her body wasn't her own. She was Buffy, or, in Buffy's body. And then she wasn't. She was in her yard, where she grew up. She was 10 years old, and her hair was in a short mushroom cut, she was wearing rags. She knew this. She was waiting for her mom to get home. She knew that she'd be drunk, and pissed. But she waited. Maybe she could hurt her physically, but she'd never break her spirit, or her soul. As her mom walked through the gate, the scene changed again. But in this place, her vision wasn't foggy. Her eyes were eagle sharp again. She was herself, present time, but she wasn't in her bed, she was in Wisps of Light, and Kyara was in front of her._

_"Ah, child. I'm glad you've made it this far. No one else has survived seeing what is in they're heart. Do you know what you saw?" Faith, despite her suspicions, played along._

_"Well, first, I was in B's family, loved, living B's life, but with her there too. Then it was me in jail, or me in Buffy's body, in jail. And the last was me, as a child, waiting for my mom to come home." Faith considered it. Her super quick sense picked up on what Kyara was trying to tell her._

_"My dream come true…or what used to be my dream, coming true. Then my worst nightmare, relived, stuck in the blonde's body, in jail. And then is my worst memory."_

_"Very good. Now, I just need you to know why I did this. Not only do I know a lot about you, the Slayer. But you play a very important part in the Slayer line. You are fire. You mustn't let the line die out!" Kyara's voice became urgent, so that it scared Faith._

_"What? Fire? I- I don't get it!" Kyara resumed her perfect posture and serenity before continuing._

_"You, Faith, are the element of Fire. Buffy is Wind, Kendra-" Faith was stunned that she knew about her, "-was Earth, and Kathy is Water." Faith almost choked on her own breath. But either Kyara didn't notice, or she expected that very reaction. She continued._

_"Kendra is gone. But there's another that has the element of Earth inside her. You need her back. You let her leave. So young, but she has so much power. Mercy…"_

Suddenly Faith was jerked into reality, and woke up to Buffy, Giles, Wesley and Connor hovering over her.

"What's up guys? Man, I feel rested." With that she got up, and walked out of her bedroom to get some food. The others could do nothing but watch and gape.

"The wonders of the wild…"

Later that night, Dawn came home crying.

"Dawnie, what's wrong?" Buffy rushed to her sister's aide, followed by the others.

"It's Kathy! She's run away with Knife…"


	16. Chapter 16

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**  
Episode 1.16: Mysteries  
Written by Anne  
Original airdate: October 24, 2004  
Episode rating: K+

"Knife? Who the fuck is Knife?" Angel shouted at the sobbing Dawn.

"H-h-he's one of t-th-the guys at s-sc-school," Dawn stuttered through her tears, "S-she's been hanging out w-with him."

"What about Sean?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know!"

"Well, where'd they go?" Faith asked.

"I-I don't know," Dawn said.

--

Knife took Kathy into an abandoned factory where he handed her off to two guys dressed in black robes, "Knife? What are you doing? Where are you going? Knife?" But Knife ignored her screams and let the two robed guys take her to another part of the factory. She was immediately bound to a support beam by her arms and legs. They also gagged her.

"I bet you're wondering why you're here," Knife said entered the room, followed by several others. Kathy looked around, panicking. "We've decided that you'll be our sacrifice to our goddess Arrichena." Kathy looked at him wide-eyed.

"Don't look so scared," a girl in the group said. Kathy recognized her as the girl that she had caught Sean making out with, "It'll all be over quickly." Knife took a dagger out of his back pocket and began walking towards Kathy. He pointed it at her neck.

"Say goodbye," Knife told her. Suddenly someone crashed through the window and kicked Knife away from Kathy. The stranger landed in front of Kathy. She didn't know who her hero was because a motorcycle helmet covered his head. "Hey, who the fuck do you think you are?" Knife said as he dodged at the stranger. The stranger moved aside and shoved Knife against the wall. "Get him!" Knife shouted. The stranger was already a step ahead of him when he took out two guns and shot his attackers. Kathy shut her eyes so she wouldn't see. The stranger looked at the damage he'd done.

"Get out," he rasped, pointing his gun at Knife. Knife trembled in fear and ran away. The stranger then turned to Kathy who was now looking at him, petrified. He put the guns away, ungagged Kathy and began to untie the ropes around her.

"Who are you?" Kathy demanded to know.

After the man untied her ropes, he moved in front of her and grabbed her arms, "Come with me, he'll be back."

"Where will you take me?"

"Home," The man said, taking her and leading her out of the abandoned factory.

"My home? You don't even know my name let alone where I live," Kathy ranted. The strange man led her to his motorcycle. He let her go and got on, holding out the second helmet to her, "Oh, no…no, no, no…you may have rescued me, but I am not getting on that bike."

"Do you want him to come back for you?"

"No, but…"

"But nothing, get on the bike," The mysterious person said, "Please, just trust me." She looked at him before taking the helmet and getting on the back of the bike. After she put the helmet on she hesitantly wrapped her arms around him. "Hang on," the stranger said before he sped off.

--

"We can't do anything, Angel! We've got nothing to go on!" Buffy shouted.

"So you just expect me to stay here and wait while my little sister is out there?"

"We have to Angel! We can't go out there with no knowledge of situation! Think logically!"

"I just can't stand the thought of her being out there with demons and murderers and rapists and…"

"We'll get her back," Faith came in and said, "We will."

--

The motorcycle stopped in front of a middle-class apartment building. "What is this place?" Kathy questioned, "Where are we?"

"This is my home," the stranger said, getting off the motorcycle, "You're going to stay with me for the night. I don't want you wandering around."

"I can take care of myself," Kathy said confidently, "Wait, I'm staying in your home and I don't know who you are or what you look like, why do you care about me so much?" The stranger went straight up to her, leaving a few centimeters between them. The strange man took off his helmet to reveal himself and quickly kissed Kathy on the lips.

"Sean?" Kathy stood there shocked, "You…I…what is going on? First, you ask me to the semi and then I see you making out with another girl and…"

"Can we not talk about this out here?" Sean asked, "Please come inside." Kathy looked at him stubbornly before giving in and grudging up the stairs to the front door. He opened the door and let her go in first.

"Alright, Sean Montgomery, could you explain what the hell is going on?" Kathy asked with some of her Irish accent falling into her voice.

"Kathy, what you saw back there…they were demons…"

"Demons, yes, I know, and before you go on, I know there are vampires, werewolves, wiccas, and all that supernatural stuff not many people believe in. That still doesn't explain how you rescued me…"

"Ok, Kathy, I'm a demon hunter. I was sent to find this gang of demons that were disguised as humans and find out what trouble they were trying to stir up. That girl you saw me with was one of those people. I never wanted to be with her. I needed to get information from her. I know that wasn't the smartest way to do things but…" They sat down on the living room couch together, "…the point is that I want to be with you, and then when I found out that you were getting closer to Knife…I got nervous…I was getting jealous, but then I found out that he was a part of this ritual that they were performing and so I was able to follow you."

"So…you're a demon hunter…and…you are…" Kathy noted, "…a pretty damn strong one at that. Well, since I know you're secret…it's time I tell you mine…"

"You've been keeping something from me too?"

"Yes…Sean…I'm a Slayer…"

"A Slayer? You mean you're the Chosen One in every generation? The one who fights the vampires?"

"Well, I'm not the only Slayer, I mean…"

"What do you mean, you're not the only Slayer? There can't be more than one at a time!"

"It's a long story…"

"Do you know what this means?" Sean asked Kathy taking her hands. Kathy shook her head 'no' in response, "Think about it…I'm a demon hunter, you're a Slayer. We're destined to be together!"

"What do you mean destined? I saw you yesterday making out and feeling up another girl! I'm supposed to just forgive you because fate brought us together?" Sean looked hopeful at her statement, "Oh, please…" Kathy rolled her eyes as the phone rang next to them.

"Hello?" Sean answered, "Dawn? Dawn, what's the matter…Kathy what?" Kathy's eyes perked up at the mention of her name, "Dawn, Kathy's fine. She's sitting her next to me…yes you can talk to her!" Sean sighed and handed Kathy the phone "She wants to talk to you."

"Obviously," Kathy snorted before snatching the phone from him, "Dawn? Yes, Dawn, I'm fine…Knife…no, no, it wasn't like that…he's a demon, Dawn. Ow! Stop screaming! You're going to make me go deaf! Is Angel mad?"

"Angel?" Sean mouthed, "Is she your sister?" But Kathy just shushed him.

"Angel's not mad? Just worried sick…Buffy's worried too?" Kathy almost squeaked, "I'll be right home." Kathy immediately hung up and ordered, "Take me home now, Sean!"

"Whoa, slow down, you didn't…"

"I need to go home Sean," Kathy stared him down.

"Fine," Sean said grudgingly, "Let's go." He handed her a helmet and led her back out to the motorcycle. They both got on, Kathy grabbing on to Sean's waist. They sped off quickly into the night.

--

"She's with Sean," Dawn said after hanging up the phone, all worry gone from her face.

"Sean? You mean that hot kid who was her date from the semi?" Faith asked. Dawn nodded her head.

"She's on her way with him right now," Dawn said.

"Well, I'd go tell Angelcakes that so he can stop flipping out," Faith smiled as Dawn rushed out of the kitchen and into Buffy and Angel's bedroom.

"Guys?" Dawn saw Buffy lying on the bed being held by Angel. Both of their eyes looked puffy and swollen because of crying, "Guys?" She poked Angel a little bit. In response he quickly turned and grabbed Dawn's hands and opened his eyes.

"Dawn," Angel said groggily, "Dawn, what's going on?" When he said this, Buffy began to move around and moan a little bit.

"Kathy's on her way home. She's safe," Dawn told them.

"She's on her way home?" Angel immediately jumped out of bed and looked intently at Kathy. Kathy nodded her head yes in reply. "With whom?"

"Sean," Dawn said.

"What happened to that Knife person?" Buffy asked.

"He…He was a demon," Dawn admitted.

"Is he dead?" Angel gritted.

"Kathy didn't say, she'll probably explain it when she gets home," Dawn said.

Connor then opened the door to the bedroom and poked in, "Dawn, is Faith telling the truth? Kathy's on her way home right now?" Dawn nodded her head in response. "Thank God!"

--

Sean drove up to Kathy's home. "I know you know I'm mad at you right now, but…thank you…for everything you've done today. You saved my life and then gave me a ride home. So…umm…thanks." Kathy stammered.

"Do you want to go out for coffee tomorrow? Get to know each other better?" Sean asked hopefully.

"I'd like that," Kathy smiled.

"Here," Sean said, taking her helmet, "Let me walk you to the door." He followed her up the stairs and rang the doorbell for her. When he turned around Kathy was mere centimeters from him, "Kathy…" he whispered, moving in to kiss her. Kathy closed her eyes and responded to his touch. She had just wrapped her arms around him when Angel opened the door. They quickly pulled apart and looked away from each other.

"Kathy," Angel ran out and tightly hugged Kathy, "We were so worried about you."

"Angel," Kathy gasped for air, "I can't breathe."

"I was so worried and I would have come out to find you but…"

"Sir," Sean interrupted, "Um…I think she needs to breathe."

"Oh, right," Angel said, letting go of Kathy who immediately took in a deep breath, "I'm Angel, Kathy's brother."

"Angel…" Sean laughed as he shook Angel's hand, "…what a gir…" When he received a glare from both Kathy and Angel he said, "…I mean what a nice name…not one your hear everyday though…"

"You're Sean I presume?" Sean nodded his head, "Why don't you come inside?"

"I can't, Angel, I have to get back home," Sean said, "My dad's waiting for me. I'll pick you up around 11 tomorrow?" Kathy eagerly nodded her head. They both watched as Sean got on her motorcycle and sped off towards his home.

"So what is this about him picking you up tomorrow morning?" Angel raised an eyebrow.

"Angellll," Kathy groaned as she went inside.

**-Part 2-**

(the next day)

Buffy looked on with great interest as Angel and Connor sparred together. They had been at it for over an hour now, and neither of them were tired. Angel did have a slight upper hand throughout the whole sequence.

"You guys are both so tough!" Buffy said playfully, watching the sweat pour down Connor's face. Angel's would have looked the same except for the whole vampire thing.

"Well, he is my father," Connor said as Angel spoke at the same time, "Well, he is my son." Buffy giggled some more.

"It'd be hard to tell you weren't, I mean someone would have to be completely stupid," Buffy laughed.

"Anyways," Angel started to ask, "I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date with me tonight?"

"Dad! Are you kidding? I'm your son! That's so not…"

"I think he was asking me," Buffy cut him off.

"Oh!" Connor blushed, "Well, I'll leave so you can ask." Connor was leaving, but turned around, "Hey, Buffy? I was wondering if I could call you mom." Buffy and Angel both looked up at him in shock. "I mean…yeah…"

"Sure, Connor," Buffy recovered and smiled at him.

"Thanks…Mom," Connor said before leaving. 'I really have to research this mother-son bond that Connor and I have. It's just way too weird.' Buffy said to herself.

--

The Receiver sat in his chair, miserably, thinking about his next attack on Angel. His attempt to restore his wife, Sara, in Buffy's body had failed miserably and it hurt him a lot. He was also beginning to question Riley's loyalty. He had seemed very…distant since the incident with Buffy and the spell.

He would have to make his next move alone.

--

"So, you came from Ireland," Sean commented, "What's it like there?"

"Well," Kathy told him, "There's a lot of farming that goes on and it's very green." Sean gave a small chuckle. They walked into a small corner café.

"What would you like?" Sean asked.

"Um, I'll try the frapuccino," Kathy replied, taking once glance at the menu above the cash registers.

"Oh my God," a woman's voice came behind them, "Kathy?" Kathy turned to see a small brown haired-skinny woman talking to her, "You probably won't remember me, I worked with Angel in L.A. I'm Fred."

"Winifred," Kathy recalled, then remembered she had helped bring Kathy and her family to the 21st century, "Fred!" She embraced her like an old friend.

"Hi," Fred gave a small wave to Sean.

"Hi," Sean mumbled.

"I'm Fred Burkle," Fred introduced herself.

"Sean Montgomery," Sean answered.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything between you two, but since you're here, I need to tell you that I'm here to see Angel and Buffy," Fred told them.

"I'm sure they'll be glad to see you too!"

"Well, I'll see you later then?" Kathy nodded her head, "It was nice meeting you Sean."

"Nice meeting you too," Sean said as Fred turned and left. "She seems…nice."

"She really is," Kathy told him, "Now, let's order something."

--

Angel walked into the kitchen where Buffy was sitting, reading a magazine, waiting for her muffins to finish baking. "There's something for you." Angel said and threw her a small package.

"I didn't order anything," Buffy said looking at it for a moment before turning it over, "And there's no return address."

"Hmm, interesting," Angel said. Buffy ripped the package open and looked inside only see a bright white flash pop of the bag. "What the…" The flash turned into a bubble which grew bigger and bigger until it pop. Some of its remnants landed on Buffy.

"What the hell was…ahhh!!!" Buffy grabbed her head in pain and fell off the chair.

"Buffy!" Angel yelled, rushing down on the floor and holding her. Her eyes had closed and she began to convulse.

-November 1999, L.A.-

_Buffy stood on the pier in bright daylight. A little tingle in her stomach told her Angel was nearby. 'But he can't come out into the daylight' Buffy thought to herself. She turned around and began to look for him when she saw him come out of the shade and into the sunlight. He walked to her, wrapped his arms around her and gave her a passionate kiss. Buffy was so surprised that she kissed him back and wrapped her arms around him. _

_flash_

_Buffy and Angel were in the kitchen talking to each other about a "mature" plan. Angel was human now and was saying he couldn't just wedge himself back into Buffy's life. _

_"So we'll…talk soon," Buffy said, placing her hand on Angel's. They both looked down at their connecting hands and looked back at each other before kissing again. Angel lifted Buffy and moved to lean on the refrigerator, where Buffy wrapped her legs around his waist, still embraced in their kiss. Then Angel placed Buffy onto the kitchen table where he climbed on top of Buffy and kept kissing her on her lips on her face on her neck…he couldn't get enough. _

_flash_

_"Peanut butter, preferably crunchy!" _

_"Got it!" Angel said from the kitchen. He ran into the bedroom with the peanut butter and the ice cream, naked. Dumping the stuff on the bed, he grunted and climbed under cover covers. Buffy was dressed in just a thin black robe. She took a piece of chocolate and dipped it in the peanut butter and then licked it off._

_"The perfect yum," She said, taking another lick, "Mmm, this is a dream, you're human for like a minute and already there's Cookie-dough-fudge-mint-chip in the fridge."_

_"God, I love food," Angel commented. _

_"Food is good," Buffy said feeding him some ice cream. _

_"Why didn't you ever tell me about chocolate and peanut butter?" Angel asked her._

_"Well, I figured if your vamp taste buds couldn't really savor it, then it would only hurt you, you know? By the way, I'm over the whole needing to be mature thing. That time you just spent in the kitchen? That was enough time apart," Buffy told him._

_"Too much," Angel corrected. They kissed while ice cream dripped off of Angel's spoon onto his chest. "Okay, mortal coordination leaving something to be desired."_

_"Wrong, it's just right," Buffy said, licking up the ice cream off of Angel's chest as he laughs, and then pulls her into a kiss. _

_flash _

_Angel and Buffy laid peacefully in bed, Buffy leaning her head on Angel's chest._

_"It's a good sound. Thump-thump, thump-thump," Buffy complimented._

_"It feels pretty amazing," Angel smiled. _

_"I'm so glad we didn't logic ourselves out of this. We'll make it work right?" Buffy asked._

_"We will," Angel instinctively replied._

_"Oh, I'm so sleepy, but I still want…"_

_"What? You couldn't possibly…not that I wouldn't…"_

_"No, no, I'm spent. Pleasantly numb even. You?"_

_"For now," Angel smiled._

_"No, I-want to stay awake-so this day can keep happening," Buffy admitted to Angel._

_Angel kissed her on the forehead. "Sleep. We'll make another one like it tomorrow."_

_"Angel?" Buffy said sleepily, "This is the first time I ever really felt this way."_

_"What way?"_

_"Just like I always wanted to. Like a normal girl, falling asleep in the arms of her normal boyfriend. It's perfect," Buffy said. Angel kissed the top of her forehead and she fell asleep. _

_flash_

_Buffy was crying and hugging Angel, "I'll never forget…I'll never forget…I'll never forget…I'll never forget…"_

_flash_

Buffy stopped convulsing, opened here eyes and took a deep breath off air. Angel demanded, "What happened? Are you all right?"

"You were human," she moaned, still groggy, "We were going to stay away but we couldn't. We made love for hours, with ice cream, and peanut butter with chocolate…and then I saw myself saying I'll never forget," Buffy told him. Angel looked at her wide-eyed. She had remembered their forgotten day. "Was it true? Did we do that?"

"You weren't…you weren't supposed to remember," Angel said breathlessly.

"It did happen? Why haven't I remembered until just now?" Buffy asked. Just then, a knock was heard at the door. Angel jumped up and ran to get it.

"Angel!" Fred jumped on him and hugged him.

"Fred?" Angel said, hugging her back but then putting her down, "What are you doing here? I mean not that I'm not happy but…"

"I understand…" Fred laughed, "I'm here to see you and Buffy about Connor."

"What about them?"

"Well, I've been doing some research…well…a lot of research and it turns out that…"

"Fred?" Buffy came into the room.

"Buffy!" Fred went over and hugged Buffy, "Long time no see!"

"How've you been?" Buffy asked.

"I've been fine! How are you?" Fred asked cheerfully.

Buffy gave a hard glare to Angel before answering, "I've been somewhat better." Fred looked at the two of them and sensed some tension.

"Buffy and I were just discussing something that happened a while ago," Angel explained.

"Oh, okay," Fred still smiled, "Well aren't ya going to show me around?"

**-Part 3- **

Sean and Kathy sat together at a small table with their orders. Kathy had gotten a frapuccino and a croissant while Sean had simply gotten coffee and a bagel. They both laughed at a joke Sean had just made until Sean said, "So tell me about your family."

"Oh, boy, each person I'm living with is supernatural in some way," Kathy sighed, "You remember Angel, my brother?" Sean broke out in smile and nodded his head, "What's so funny?"

"His name is so…girly," Sean laughed.

"Well…Sean…he's a vampire," Kathy said, biting her lower lip.

Sean frowned, "Your brother's a vampire?"

"But not a bad one! I mean he used to be really evil from what I'm told but he has a soul now."

"A vampire with a soul," Sean pondered, "Now that's a new one to me."

"He's the only vampire in the world with a soul," Kathy said.

"Well, now, no wonder," Sean said.

"And his girlfriend, Buffy, who's his soul mate, is another Slayer," Kathy said as Sean spit his coffee back into his cup.

"A vampire and a Slayer…_soul mates_?" Sean asked wondrously.

"Wacky world, huh?" Kathy laughed at the look on Sean's face.

"Now, this just plain weird," Sean half-laughed.

"It gets weirder, trust me," Kathy started to explain, "Dawn is Buffy's sister, but isn't Buffy sister. Now if I get this right, a couple of years ago, she was created by a bunch of monks. She was called 'The Key'. Now there was a god called Glorificus who was looking for the key. If she found the key, she'd be able to open the portal to her home dimension."

"Obviously she didn't get the key then, because Dawn's still here…" Sean trailed.

"She did get Dawn, but Glorificus was sharing a life with this guy named Ben, who was human…if Ben was killed, she'd be destroyed too," Kathy said, "Giles killed Ben, but there was another guy wanting to open the portal who was successful. Buffy ended up killing him, but ultimately had to jump into the portal to save her sister and the world."

"But then why is she…"

"That I don't know yet. Dawn doesn't want to go into it," Kathy told him, "Now onto Connor."

"Connor is…"

"My nephew," Kathy said, "Angel was going through a phase around the same time Buffy and Dawn were having the troubles with Glorificus. He was frustrated because his Sire came back from the dead as a human and then was turned into a vampire again. Angel was so depressed, angry, frustrated, and guilt hung over him like a rain cloud. So, he had sex with Darla to lose his soul so he wouldn't feel any of it anymore…well, while he didn't lose his soul, Darla became pregnant."

"But vampires can't have kids," Sean looked wide-eyed at her.

"There was a prophecy in there somewhere, I think, anyways, Darla couldn't give birth to the baby so she staked herself. But there was someone after Angel. His name was Holtz. He kidnapped little baby Connor and went to a hell dimension called Quar-toth. He came back a few weeks later almost a full grown man."

"Wow," Sean said, "So how old would he be if he never went to that dimension?"

"I think four or five," Kathy said.

"Wow," Sean said, "That's a family history no one can compare to." Kathy smiled at him.

"So tell me about you," Kathy smiled.

"Well, there's not much to really…"

"Sean Montgomery," a deep voice came up to their table…it was Knife, "So it was you under that helmet." Knife took out a gun a shot it into the air, sending everyone in the café in a frenzy, shoving and pushing each other out except for Kathy and Sean, who sat at their table calmly looking at Knife. Knife was not happy and then pointed the gun at Sean's head, "I've waited Montgomery, and I've waited for this moment for so long…" Kathy slowly placed her purse in her lap and took out two things, pepper spray and one of those horns you'd use at basketball game.

"Hey, chicken face," Kathy said getting his attention. She sprayed the pepper spray in his eyes and placed the horn right up to his ear and sounded it. Knife dropped the gun and grabbed his ear and eyes while howling in pain. Kathy dropped the items back into her purse as Sean picked up the gun, grabbed her arm and led her out quickly. "Let's go to my place." Kathy said as they got on Sean's motorcycle and raced off.

--

"Wow, it's so big," Fred said taking another look around their home.

"Fred, what were you saying earlier," Angel asked.

"Well, Buffy this has to do with you," Fred said, "…and Connor…"

"What about me?" Connor poked his head into the room.

"Connor, you and Buffy should both sit down," Fred said. They both looked at each other before sitting at the table next to each other.

"Now, this is going to sound totally crazy and totally weird but…Buffy, Connor's supposed to be your son."

"I knew it!" Connor and Buffy both shouted at the same time. Fred and Angel both looked at each other with a vague amount of surprise on their faces.

"Well, if you want me to explain it to you," Fred started, "Connor's DNA is half Angel's and half of yours, but technically Darla gave birth to Connor, it should have been her DNA and not Buffy's."

"Then how…" Angel started.

"I did some research and I found that there had been a temporal fold about five years ago."

"I think I need to sit down too," Angel said, sitting next to Buffy.

"You were the one that told them to do the temporal fold, weren't you?" Buffy asked Angel. Angel meekly nodded his head. "So, if you hadn't folded that day, I would have been pregnant with Connor."

"You did get pregnant, but since that day was folded, the pregnancy was, you can say, well suspended in mid-air until the next time Angel fornicated, so when that turned out to be Darla…"

"…she got pregnant," Angel finished quietly, "Buffy, I'm so sorry." Buffy stared at him for a few moments.

"I understand why you did what you did," Buffy told him, "You did it to save me. But I ended up dying anyways."

"But what made you human?" Connor asked his father.

"It was a Mohra demon. Its blood mixed with mine and made me human. It had regenerative properties that took warriors away from the cause of helping people."

"Why can't you just find it and get some of it blood to mix with yours again?" Connor asked.

"It's not that simple," came another voice from the corner of the room.

"Doyle?" Angel looked at his old friend, shocked.

"Yea, but don't get any ideas thinking that I can stay, I only came down to help explain things to you," Doyle said with his thick Irish accent, "Although I got to say, Fred here is doing a pretty good job."

"How do you know my…"

"Those Powers that Be know everything," Doyle said, "past, present, future…it gets quite annoying after a while…hearing them say they know all. But they are going to let me tell you this…be wise in the choices you make, because you are all going to have some tough times ahead, emotionally, mentally, and physically," Doyle told them.

"What's going to…" Fred started to ask.

"Can't tell you that," Doyle bowed his head, "PTB won't let me. They won't let me stay here for long either."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Angel asked Doyle.

"Protect the ones you love, grab on to what you have," Doyle looked up, "PTB sure knows I grabbed onto Cordy the moment she got up there. Look, man, I have to go, but I think said all I need to say…wait…no I didn't…Buffy?" Buffy looked up at him, "Would you get married to him already?" Doyle laughed, pointing to Angel before snapping his fingers and disappearing.

"He's with Cordy," Angel smiled.

"Hey, I was wondering if I could also stay her for a while," Fred asked, "I've wanted to come to New York for a while, but I don't have a place to stay."

"What's all the ruckus going on in here?" Faith said, stepping into the room.

Everyone looked at each other before saying simultaneously, "Buffy's Connor's mother."

Instead of the reaction of surprise everyone expected from Faith, she simply smiled, "Way to go, B. It's about time you two had something to prove all of that love." Just then Kathy and Sean literally fell on top of each other into the house, laughing so hard they were almost crying. "And what have you two lovebirds been up to?" Faith asked.

Sean and Kathy looked at each other before Kathy spoke, "Nothing," she squeaked.

"Come on, Fred," Connor said, taking Fred's arm, "I'll show you to your room."

"Fred's crashin' with us?" Faith asked, "All right!" Faith followed Connor and Fred out of the room and Kathy and Sean went to find Dawn, leaving Buffy and Angel all alone.

"So, are you mad at me?" Angel asked.

"Well, I was," Buffy said, sitting on his lap, "Until Doyle said we needed to grab onto what we had…so I'm thinking that's a good thing," she commented before kissing him.

"I do, too," Angel said, taking her to the living room and laying her on the couch and kissing her.

"Mom! Your muffins are burning!" Connor called from the kitchen. Buffy and Angel stopped kissing, looked at each other, and laughed. From that moment, they grabbed onto each other (figuratively) and were never going to let go without a fight.


	17. Chapter 17

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**  
Episode 1.17: Laying in Wait  
Written by the Main Slayer  
Original airdate: October 31, 2004  
Episode rating: M

The rooms were dark as the silent sweepers walked through the apartment. They had entered the apartment through the skylight in the bathroom and moved slowly from one room to the other. For days the team had been planning how to get in and out of the apartment without detection. They had watched silently as the vampire entered the password on the home security system. They had watched to what rooms the residences went when they woke in the morning, and from these observations they had developed a fool proof plan to get in and out without so much as a wrinkle. The first team entered the apartment at 2 a.m. in the morning just 1-hour after the vampire had gone to bed. They slowly removed the glass from the roof and entered the home. Once inside, the team's leader went to the security system and turned it off. Before allowing the team to move, the leader waited for any sounds of movement or noise that might come from one of the 4 rooms. Nothing. The leader gave the signal and the team entered the rest of the rooms via the bathroom. From there the sweeper team broke off into two groups, one heading towards the living room and the kitchen, the other to the bedrooms. Quietly the teams carried out their plans.

_2 days before_

"There are a total of 5 phones. One in the master bedroom, one in the teenage girls room, one in the boy's room, and one in the kitchen. All are cordless. There are a total of 5 televisions. Same format as the telephones. There is an intercom system that is connected to all the rooms. There is a fax machine, a stationary computer and a laptop in the office. They have one of the best security systems in all of New York. There are cameras in every room, except the bedrooms and bathrooms. The code for the system is 112501, the vampire's son's birthday. The system, when activate, emits a silent alarm that lasts until the system is shut down. We will have exactly 1 minute to turn off the alarm before the vampire will hear it. From there, we will head to each room and bug every machine, every phone, anything that can tell us what the vampire and his so-called family are up to. There is no room for mistakes, men. We go in; we get out. It's that simple. In the back area we have simulated course that is a match to the exact layout of the vampires home. Everything is the same from the furniture to the position every phone and TV. We will work on this course every day of every hour until we can master our task in 1 hour. Our surveillance crew shows that the vampire goes to bed around 2 a.m. in the morning, exactly 1 hour later he gets up to read his book. We have one hour to get in and get back out. We must stress that everything must be left the same way it was found or our mission will fail. There are no mistakes. Alright, lets get to work." With that Riley put down his microphone, and led the men to the training room. For this to work, they had to be perfect. The Receiver wouldn't expect anything else. For two days the crew trained until they mastered the home from top to bottom. By the second day, they had it. The bugged the entire simulated room from top to bottom in under an hour. Riley smiled as the crew came in at 55 minutes 22 seconds. There was no turning back; immortality was so close that Riley could just taste it. Turning to his soldiers, he smiled.

"Alright men. Hit the showers, rest up, because tomorrow night we hit it." The men turned and left the room as Riley picked up the phone and dialed the Receiver.

"Yes?"

"We are ready." Riley said.

"Excellent." The phone went dead. That night Riley went home and had a shower and made love to his wife. He hadn't told her what he was doing or what the price was, but in the end it would be all worth it. Riley silently laughed at the thought of Angel finally getting what he deserved. As sleep approached Riley went over the plan again and again. Nothing could go wrong.

_Present_

Team A moved through the kitchen with ease. They had memorized the position of every item in the room. They planted a bug in the kitchen telephone, the computer, and put a monitor on the television. From there they moved to the living room bugging the phone in that room. They attached hidden cameras in the kitchen and in the living room so that they could monitor what was going on. From there they then slowly headed to the office and did the same there. Team A emerged from the office and headed back to the extraction point, their mission complete.

Team B subdivided and a small team of two men each moved into the 4 bedrooms. In each room they bugged the phones and set up a hidden camera. If they could get their hands on the cellular phones they bugged those as well. Riley and his other man headed for the master bedroom door. For a second, Riley listened to make sure that the vampire was asleep. Once he was sure that there was no sound, he opened the bedroom door. Carefully, Riley and his teammate entered the room and headed to work. Riley moved around the bed and picked up the phone. After putting the bug in place he picked up the vampire's cell, and bugged it. His partner was setting up the camera on the wall and monitor for the TV. His teammate signaled him, letting him know that the mission was completed, slowly the moved back towards the door. Riley stopped for a second to watch as the vampire and slayer slept. Grabbing at his arm, Riley's teammate urged him to move. Reluctantly, Riley moved away from the door and closed it. The teams met in the bathroom and were extracted on time. Moments after they left the apartment, the vampire awoke. He got up and headed for the kitchen as per usual. Riley smiled as he watched Angel from the rooftop._ Your nightmare is just beginning._ Riley thought.

Buffy awoke at 7 a.m. Looking at the clock she groaned. It was a Saturday and she still had to get up early to drive Connor to and early morning class. Buffy still had about a half an hour before she would have to get in the shower, so she decided to roll over and wrap her slender arms around her boyfriend. Buffy pulled herself closer to Angel and sighed. She could feel Angel's arms tighten around her as he smiled. Buffy kissed his chest and leaned against him. Kissing the top of her forehead, Angel breathed in heavily the scent of vanilla and coconuts. Buffy giggled as Angel ran a hand slowly down her back. Buffy squeezed tighter and opened her eyes.

"Morning." She said to him.

"Morning." Angel replied as he gazed into her emerald eyes. Buffy kissed him and brought her body flush to his. Angel let out a slight moan and kissed her back.

"That was nice." Angel said as he reluctantly broke the kiss off. Buffy smiled and leaned her head against his solid chest.

"It always is." Buffy replied.

"Early morning yet again." Angel said to her as he rolled over onto his back bringing his Slayer with him.

"As always. I wish Connor would apply for classes that are later." Buffy said with a pout. Angel laughed and kissed the top of her head.

"Hey, at least he is the one excelling," Angel said as Buffy hit him hard in the chest, "Ouch. What was the for?"

"You think he is the only smart one?" Buffy asked him.

"No, baby. You are very smart. Especially with…." Angel said with a sly smile. Buffy hit him again and glared at him.

"Don't even finish that sentence." Buffy dared him. Angel laughed and hugged her. As the lovers began to drift back to sleep, the hidden camera in their room was rolling and at the other end the Receiver watched.

The Receiver had gotten word that all the cameras were up and operational. That same night, he had gone into the control room and watched as the sleeping family dreamed of happy times. Angel had gotten up 3 times that night and Buffy only once. The Receiver enjoyed his newly operational toy and listened to the conversation that took place only moments ago. Luckily for the Receiver, he didn't have to stay and watch the couple 24 hours a day. He had men to do that for him. The Receiver signaled for the Initiative soldier to come in as he left the room. Walking down the hall he stopped in front of a large metal door. Behind the door was the newly created Lyphan. It took the Receiver 2 days to create a new Lyphan from the existing one, and for the last week it was growing and becoming more vicious by the hour. Smiling the Receiver continued down the hall. On his left was a training room where Sunny had been for the majority of day. On his right he had Riley doing the same. One of them was wearing the Receiver's trust; it was just a matter of finding out whom. Riley believed that he was to become an Immortal, Sunny believed that he would become the Receiver's right had man. Little did they know that one of them was about to die.

Sunny had been training for more than 13 hours. He had no idea what his boss was doing with all this time. He had been nothing but loyal to the Receiver and his plan, all Sunny wanted from him was respect and some extra privileges and powers. The door to the training room opened and an Initiative soldier stepped in with a clipboard and a pen. That was the fourth lab coat to come into the room in the last hour. Annoyed, Sunny continued with his exercises as the lab coat observed and left. Curiosity getting the better of him, Sunny approached the door and looked out the small window. He watched as the lab coat headed into another training room. _What in the hell is going on?_ Sunny thought as he watched the door slam shut.

Riley whirled around to see yet another lab coat entered the room. Annoyed, Riley walked up to him.

"What the hell is going on? Why am I here?" He demanded of the man. The man looked at him and said nothing as he wrote down something the Riley couldn't see.

"What are you writing down? What is going on!" Riley demanded yet again. Looking at him, the lab coat turned and left the room. Frustration getting the better of him, Riley turned at punched the bag in the center of the room. The force of the hit sent the bag flying across the room to hit the opposite side.

The lab coat closed the door and turned to the man outside. He handed him the clipboard and turned to leave. The technician walked past the two training rooms and opened the door to the control room. Sitting in front of the computer screens, the Receiver smiled as the Slayer turned on the shower.

"What is it?" He questioned.

"The results you were looking for." The man handed the Receiver the clipboard and headed out of the room. The Receiver looked down at the board and smiled to himself.

"It is time." He said to himself as Angel entered the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Watching, as Buffy wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him.

"What are you doing?" Buffy asked him.

"Well, I figured that it would be better to conserve water instead of waste it." Angel said as he pulled his shirt over his head. Buffy laughed as Angel approached her, his eyes blazing with lust. Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. The steam flowed from the shower and enveloped the lovers. Buffy backed Angel into the door and locked it.

"Don't want any interruptions now do we." Buffy said to him as she opened the shower curtain. Angel stepped in and took Buffy's hand. Buffy stepped into the shower and closed the curtain behind her.

"Buffy!" Connor yelled, "Where are you? We have to go!" Connor had been looking for Buffy for an hour. He wasn't sure what she was doing in the bathroom, but she was sure taking her time. Connor had gotten up at his usual time and gotten dressed, had breakfast, and put his bag together all before 8 a.m. Buffy was always up 2 hours before him, because she took forever to get ready. Connor stormed through the house looking for Buffy.

"My dad will know." Connor headed to his dad's bedroom and knocked on the door. When there was no response, Connor opened the door.

"Dad? Are you in here?" He called out. There was no response. Connor entered the room to find it empty. _Where the hell is everyone today?_ Connor thought as he left the room. He headed down the hall and knocked on Kathy's door. Kathy opened the door and looked at him.

"What?" She asked.

"Have you seen Buffy? Or dad?" Connor asked her.

"Nope. Why?" She asked him.

"I'm going to be late if Buffy doesn't show up soon." Connor said to her frustrated.

"Sorry, can't help you." Kathy said as she slammed the door in his face. Connor threw up his arms and headed to Dawn's room. Before he could knock he heard his dad's voice.

"Finally." Connor said to himself as he rounded the corner. To his surprise his dad wasn't alone. Then he saw something that he really didn't need to see. Stunned, Connor whirled around and covered his eyes.

"Oh my god." Connor said. Buffy and Angel looked up to see Connor. Turning red, Buffy slammed the bathroom door shut and grabbed a towel. Angel put his back to the door and looked at his son.

"Connor!" Angel said, "What are you doing here?"

"Well. For one I live here," Connor said, "Two, I have class that I'm going to be late for." Angel tried to hold back a laugh as he heard Buffy cursing behind the door.

"Sorry," She yelled from the bathroom, "I'll be right out." Angel walked up to his son and patted his back. Leaving the room and heading to his room, he laughed to himself. What a way to start the day.

The Receiver laughed to himself. He would have to remember to keep an eye on Angel's son. He was a funny one. The Receiver decided that he had enough of Angel and his family for the moment. Getting up the Receiver turned the monitoring over to his lab tech and left the room. Riley and Sunny had been removed from the Initiative compound 3 hours ago. They had been relocated to an isolated area of the forest where an abandoned house resided. The Receiver liked his followers but he tired of their presence. The plan was to pit one against the other and see who was left standing. The Receiver walked over to an awaiting car and got in. The driver drove his master to the abandoned cabin where the two followers waited.

Inside the cabin Riley was locked in a small dark room. He had been in there for about an hour or more. He wasn't sure. All he could hear was the sound of rats and squeaky floors. Sunny was having the same problem. He had been so hungry that he actually ate some of the rats that were in his room. He had tried the door several times but he found that even though he was really strong, the door had been enchanted. He could tell that there was another man in the cabin, but he wasn't sure who it was. He could hear the beating of the human's heart, and the heavy breathing. Sunny salivated at the thought of tearing into the human's neck when he got out of his prison. Sunny listened more closely and as he did, he heard a car door close. Curiosity getting the better of him, he moved to the tiny window and looked out. He saw a man approach the main door to the cabin and heard the door squeak open.

The Receiver entered the cabin and shut the door. He gave the signal to have the two rooms opened. Two men walked to the doors and chanted for a few syllables, the doors click open and the doors moved. Riley and Sunny stepped out of the rooms. They were guided to stand in front of the Receiver who smiled at them.

"What is…" Riley began. The Receiver silenced them.

"You will not speak, either of you," The Receiver said to them as he paced in front of them, "I have a problem. And that problem is that one of you are not being as loyal as you should be." Sunny and Riley looked to each other. Anger played across Riley's face as he listened to what the Receiver had to say.

"One of you have been telling my secrets behind my back. One of you has no been doing what you have been asked. One of you is a ticking time bomb that needs to be disarmed," He moved around the two men and they looked at him wondering whom he was talking about, "And now is the time to find out which one of you it is." The Receiver dropped a bag in front of the two men. He bent down and opened it to reveal assorted weapons and other materials. He left the bag open and moved back to face the two soldiers.

"But, I am not the one to decide who is the wronged. You will decide it for me. You will be locked in the cabin until one of you is dead. Whoever is left standing is the most loyal. Good luck." Before either could speak, the Receiver left and the cabin was re-enchanted to that Riley and Sunny couldn't escape. Looking at each other, the two soldiers picked up a weapon and faced off.

Smiling to himself, the Receiver got back in his car and headed back to the Initiative compound. It was time to catch up on his precious family.

On the way to the University, Buffy and Connor stayed quiet. Buffy still couldn't believe that he had seen her naked. Buffy's face had stayed red for the entire trip while Connor plugged into his music and stared out the window. Buffy drove up to the campus and put the car in park. Connor grabbed his bag and proceeded to open the door when Buffy took hold of his arm.

"Connor," Buffy said, "Look I'm sorry about this morning. What you saw. I never meant for that to happen, honestly. It's just, I love him and it's hard to say no." Buffy looked at him. At that moment Connor burst into laughter.

"What is so funny?" She asked him.

"You are. Look, don't worry about it. I'm over it. I may be scared for life, but I'm over it. So let's just not talk about it." Connor gave Buffy a kiss on the cheek and left the car. Smiling Buffy put the car in drive and moved away from the curb. At a glance Buffy caught the eye of an Initiative soldier standing at the entrance to the University. Curious as to what he was doing, Buffy drove a little slower and watched as the man followed Connor into the building. Frowning, Buffy drove off. Looking in her rearview mirror, Buffy noticed that there was a black car following her. Buffy attempted to elude him, but she had no luck. Pulling into her building Buffy watched as the black sedan parked on the road opposite the apartments. Buffy locked the car and headed for the elevator. Hitting the number for her floor, Buffy waited until she arrived. Buffy walked down the hall to her apartment in a hurry, and nearly crashed into a cute neighbor.

"I'm sorry." Buffy said to him.

"No. It's not your fault. It's mine. I should really watch were I'm going," He said to her. The man looked into Buffy's eyes and smiled, "I'm Keith. And you are?"

"Buffy. Buffy Summers. I live in room 205A. And you?" She questioned a little annoyed at the way he was looking at her.

"206B. How long have you been living here?" He asked her.

"Not long, a few months. Look, its not that I wouldn't love to stay and chat, but I really have to go. So sorry again, and I will talk to you soon. It was nice to meet you Keith." Buffy said as she moved down the hall to her door.

"It was nice to meet you too." Keith called down the hall. Keith watched as Buffy opened the door to her apartment and shut it. Keith took out his phone and dialed a number.

"Yes."

"It's me." He said.

"And?"

"Mission completed." He replied.

"Excellent." The line went dead. Keith smiled and left the building.

Buffy pressed her back against the door and sighed. She took off her coat and put her keys down. She moved to the kitchen and saw a note on the table. Buffy picked up the note and smiled.

_Hey beautiful,_

_Sorry I'm not home. I know I told you I would be but I had some business to take care of at the bank and work. I will be home for dinner. We should have Greek tonight. I'll cook. I love you. See you soon._

_Love Angel_

Angel always made her smile. Some times she would find notes posted all over the house for her to find. He always managed to surprise her everyday with something new. But that is what she loved about him. Buffy put the note down and flicked on the TV. For a second the TV didn't come on. Buffy hit the button again and shrugged her shoulders when the TV made the silent "ping" sound and turned on. Buffy surfed through the channels until she found her soap and sat down to watch it. Within 15 minutes Buffy was fast asleep on the couch unaware that she was being watched.

Bugging the vampire's house was the best idea the Receiver had come up with. What better way to get to know your enemies than to put them on tape and to watch them? Turning his chair around he put his attention to the two soldiers battling it out in the abandoned cabin. Riley and Sunny had been at it for hours. Hiding, and fighting as they attempted to kill each other. Personally, the Receiver was hoping that Riley would finish off the vampire so that he wouldn't have to do it himself. If Sunny was the one standing at the end, he would have to be destroyed. There were better uses for Riley, but he wanted him to get a little more time in the area of killing vampires. He really was that good at it. At this moment, Sunny was stalking through the rooms looking for the human. While Riley awaited the vampire behind a couch.

Riley was so tired. He had been stuck in this cabin for hours, days even. All he had to do was kill this one vampire and he would be free to go home. Riley had cuts running across his face and stab wounds in his chest. There was a neck wound as well. Earlier on Riley had let his guard down enough for the vampire to get a hold of his neck. Regretting it and punishing himself over and over, Riley vowed that he would be the one to leave this room. Not the vampire. He listened as Sunny stalked the room looking for him. Riley was sure that the vampire could smell the blood on him as he moved, but he couldn't pin point him because Riley continued to move throughout the room as Sunny did. Riley held a stake firmly in his hand waiting for the right opportunity to take the vampire out.

Sunny moved quietly through the so-called living room. He could smell the human's blood as he walked. He had wounded the mortal several times and out lured him more than once. This human was good, but not that good. Sunny had been stabbed at least twice and had several cross and holy water burns lining his face and arms. The human wasn't going to give up but neither was he. Suddenly, Sunny heard a squeak come out of the floor. Whirling around he looked to see what it was. Nothing. Sunny turned around again and continued to move. Stopping, Sunny took a long sniff of the air and breathed in the scent of blood. Smiling to himself, he turned to a couch that lay in the middle of the room. Silently, Sunny moved towards it.

Riley knew that the vampire had found him. _No more running._ Riley thought as he held his stake at the ready. Riley listened for the vampire but couldn't tell if he was in front of him or behind him. This must have been a special vampire trick that they learn as the are taught by their sires. Riley wanted nothing more than to kill this vampire and gain his reward of Immortality, but first he had to find where the vampire went. After waiting what felt like 20 minutes, Riley slowly stood.

Sunny watched as Riley stood from behind the couch. In order to get the upper hand, Sunny had moved onto the ceiling to get a birds eye view of what was behind the couch. To his surprise there, laying in wait, was Riley. Sunny smiled as he watched the soldier move throughout the room bewildered as to where he had gone. Sunny glided across the ceiling effortlessly and followed Riley as he stalked through the room.

Riley had no idea what had just happened. He was sure that the vampire was in here. He hard heard him. With his breathing and heart rate increasing, Riley moved slowly through the room. Suddenly he stopped short. He stood and listened. He could hear the slow movement of feet. He wasn't sure where they were coming from. He turned around to find nothing behind him or at his sides. _So that is where you went._ Riley thought. He was on the ceiling. Riley backed himself into and corner, facing the room. He knew Sunny was waiting for him. But this time, Riley would be ready.

Confused as to what the human was doing, Sunny stalked closer to him. He was right above him when he heard a door moan. Caught off guard, Sunny felt the hard piece of wood slam into his chest. He looked down and saw Riley smiling to himself.

"May the best man win." Riley said to him as his body disintegrated into ash. Riley walked out of the living room and headed for the front door. Before he was unable to open the door, but now that the vampire was dead, the enchantment was lifted. Opening the door Riley stepped out into the night breeze. At that moment, life felt a little more exciting.

"I knew he could do it." The Receiver said to himself. Riley had done exactly what he had wanted. He killed the vampire and had a better concept of what a vampire was capable of. Sunny was no match for Angelus; however, this exercise proved that Riley was ready to take out the vampire. The Receiver watched as a limo picked up the remaining soldier and brought him back to the Initiative compound. Little did Riley know that he was to do much more than capture the vampire. That he was the key to the entire operation. He was going to be the vampires undoing.

Angel came home at 6 o'clock with Connor, Dawn and Kathy in tow. Angel had spent the day his personal banker, Tony, all day discussing his money and what was invested and what wasn't. Connor had aced yet another midterm and Kathy and Dawn were pre-occupied with Sean and Alex. The teens headed to their room while Connor helped prepare dinner for the family. Angel walked into the living room to find the TV on and the Slayer asleep. Angel knelt down and kissed Buffy's forehead. Buffy's eyes fluttered open as she saw Angel.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey." Buffy said back. Angel kissed her and moved her legs so that they were resting on his.

"What are you up to?" Angel asked her.

"Not much. Watching TV, taking a nap. You?" She asked back as she stretched on the couch.

"Went to the back and then went back to work. Picked up the kids and came home so that I could cook a Greek meal for you." He said to her. Buffy sat up and wrapped her arms around him.

"Aww. How sweet." She said to him.

"What can I say. I live to serve you."

"Darn straight." Buffy said as she kissed him again. Disgusted Connor thought it was about time to break it up.

"Um, dad?" Connor said, "Are we going to eat tonight or what?"

"Yeah, I'm coming." Angel said as he got up off the couch. Buffy laughed and went into the kitchen with him. Buffy watched as Connor and Angel cooked dinner and served the entire family one of the best meals they had ever had. During dinner they talked about many things, and while Angel ate, he realized that there was never a moment that he was happier than right now. Angel smiled and ate his dinner, and listened to the mindless chatter of two teenage girls. Little did they know, that while they ate, The Receiver was learning more about them that even they did not know. The Receiver laughed to himself as he held the piece of paper in front of him. He had been searching for a way to take Angel out and he had found the perfect one. It turned out that his mother, was actually a Romani Gypsy. It also became apparent that even though Angel believed that they were dead, his family was very much alive. This was the perfect way to take Angel out. To bring back the one person who had no respect for him. The one person that hated him more than the Receiver did. Angel's father, would be the undoing of the vampire's sanity.


	18. Chapter 18

**Immortal: the Virtual Series  
****Episode 1.18: Where the Tiger Lies  
Written by Anne  
Original airdate: November 20, 2004  
Rating: M**

**-Part 1- **

"Are you sure about doing this?" Angel asked for the fifty-millionth time.

"Angel, of course I am sure," Buffy said, "This retreat sounds very…retreat-like."

"You don't want me to go with you?" Angel asked.

"Angel!"

"What? I can't be worried about you already?" Angel questioned. Buffy planted a light kiss on his lips.

"Be worried all you want," Buffy said, "I'm only going for a couple of days! I'll be fine!" Buffy swung her duffel bag over her shoulder and opened the door, "Love you!" Angel let out a grunt and sat down at the kitchen table and began to brood.

"Dad, Kathy and Dawn want to…" Connor ran into the kitchen and found his father brooding, "She left?"

"Three days," Angel said monotonously, "I'm not going to see her for three whole days."

"She'll be fine," Connor sat down next to his father.

"But what if she won't be?"

"She will!"

"But what if she won't? I went on a retreat once…" Angel recalled the time after Buffy's death, "They all attempted to kill me…"

"You're just upset because you're going to be deprived of snuggling with Buffy every night for a few days," Connor snorted.

"Well, I'm upset about that too, but that's not the point…"

"Dad, she'll be fine, she knows how to take care of herself," Connor put his hand on his father's shoulder.

"I hope so, son," Angel sighed, "I sure hope so."

--

The retreat center was located in a distant place away from any type of civilization. The building was large and white with a large dome on the top. Buffy looked around before sighing and going in the front doors. There was a mid-sized lobby with fresh flowers on the tables.

"Miss…Summers, I presume?" The tiny woman came out of the two large doors with a clipboard in her hand. Buffy nodded her head and looked at the woman curiously, "Follow me please." The lady took Buffy through the large door and into a hallway balcony that gave Buffy a view of the "dome room". It was a large room with only a wooden floor. "I'm taking you to your room," the woman said. They stopped at room number 3. When the woman opened the door, a living room and kitchen were revealed, through the living room, she found the door to her bedroom, which was a large square room with only a simply made bed in the middle. "Is there a…" Buffy turned to ask the woman, but she had disappeared, "…phone…" Buffy turned back to the bedroom, dropped her things, took her coat off, and laid on the bed. She looked up at the ceiling seeing a painting of a tiger running in a field. All of a sudden she felt drowsy and fell asleep.

--

_Buffy woke in her bedroom, but there was no door. She got up out of the bed, looked around before panicking and banging on the walls, screaming for help. _

_"Nobody's going to hear you, Buff," came a voice from the corner. _

_"Angel?" Buffy whispered hopefully. _

_"Guess again," Angelus came out of the shadows with his game face on. _

_"No," Buffy backed away from him, "No…"_

_"Oh, yea baby, I'm back," Angelus smirked, walking towards her and trapping her in the corner she had backed herself into. He grabbed onto her arms to hold her in place, "You're going to love this," he whispered in her ear before biting into her neck. Buffy's mouth opened wide as she felt the fangs pierce her neck. Her hand wriggled free of Angelus' grip and went to his head urging him to drink…_

--

Buffy gasped as she woke up. She looked around and found the door still there and felt her neck. There were no puncture marks. She realized it was only a nightmare.

"But what does it mean?" Buffy wondered aloud.

-1753-

Keiran sat in the dark at the wooden table in the middle of his home. Every night he kept thinking about Liam…or Angel as he was now called and Kathy. He hoped that Angel was taking good care of her. A small white light moving around outside his window broke his deep focus in his thoughts. The small little ball of light moved closer and closer to him. He squinted his eyes to get a better look at it when he realized it was coming closer to him. The ball stopped right in front of Keiran's eyes before suddenly growing. Another light came out and wrapped itself around Keiran before yanking him into it.

Keiran wasn't able to let out a scream before he was sucked into the portal. All that was left was the chair that had been knocked over for Catriana to find in the morning.

-2004-

"…incantarum…" the sorcerer finished reading the scroll. The Receiver cruelly smiled with Riley standing behind him watching the sorcerer perform the spell to bring Angel's father back into this era. A small silver ball appeared in front of them and grew before spitting out Keiran.

"What is this?" Keiran shouted as he fell onto the ground.

"Hello, Keiran O'Riley," the Receiver stepped forward, "It's nice to see you in this day and age."

"Where am I?" Keiran yelled angrily, "Who are you? And how do you know my name?"

"You, Keiran, can call me Patrick," the Receiver said, telling the Irish man his middle name, "And I know quite a bit about you. Your son and I…let's just say we go back a few years."

"You're a demon too, aren't you," Keiran glared at him.

"You catch on quickly," the Receiver said, "I have a proposition for you, Mr. O'Riley…"

--

After Buffy had unpacked, she wandered out of her small apartment and began to give herself a tour of the retreat center. Just then, a tiny white-haired woman came up to her, "Ms. Summers?" Buffy nodded her head, "Come with me," the little woman said, "I take to the inception."

"Oh, I was just looking arou…"

"Follow!" The little woman said, holding out her hand. Buffy sighed and took it. The little woman led her to an all white room. Buffy let go of the woman's hand and looked around.

"What is this…" when she turned to look back at the woman, she wasn't there, "…place?" There was no door either. "OK, this is a little too freaky for my taste." Just then, a low growl emitted from something behind her. She turned to look, "A tiger…" The tiger just stood there staring up at Buffy, as if trying to figure out something about her.

'_You're a Slayer' _it said to her through thought.

"Whoa, you just spoke to me through my thoughts…that is just…"

'_Not many people understand me. The gift to understand the thoughts a tiger sends a person is very rare.' _

"So, I have a gift to talk to tigers," Buffy said aloud. She pondered for a moment before saying, "Cool."

'_That's not important. What is that you're in danger here, you and you're vampire lover.'_

"Angel?" Buffy immediately said.

'_He will come here looking for you.'_

"But why? Nothing's happened to me…"

'_Not yet, but he will come I assure you,' _the tiger blinked at her.

"What's going to happen to…"

'_I cannot tell you. But I have marked you. You may call upon me anytime in your thoughts.' _

"Marked me? What?" Buffy looked strangely at the tiger.

'_I have placed my mark on your left shoulder. There it will stay any time you need my help. Goodbye, young Slayer.' _After that, the tiger walked away and disappeared.

"Oh, great," Buffy sighed, "Now I have a new tattoo. I have got to get out of here." When Buffy turned back, the little old woman was standing in the doorway.

"Come, come! Time for tea!" The woman waved her arms, motioning for Buffy to come towards her. Buffy looked back, not to see the white room, but just a normal room with chairs and a coffee table.

"What happened to…"

"Come!" The woman ordered. Buffy yet again followed her to another room, where tea and some snack were waiting for her.

"Buffy Summers," Another taller woman came up to her, "I'm Annabelle. Come sit."

"You're the first person who has actually introduced herself to me," Buffy told her as she sat across from the brunette-haired woman.

"I'm sure you have many questions so let's begin," Annabelle said.

--

"So, we're all in the same boat," Alex said at the diner table as Kathy, Dawn, and Sean explained to him the whole situation with Knife and how Dawn and Kathy knew about demons, "That is so awesome! It's like we're meant to be together."

"So do you patrol?" Dawn asked.

"We do, sometimes, but lately, we've been dealing with other things," Sean told her.

"Buffy hasn't had time to take us out patrolling," Dawn sighed, "It's really starting to piss me off. Either she's taking Connor to school, or she's snuggling with Angel. And now she's on this stupid retreat for a few days…"

"Retreat?" Alex asked putting his arm around her.

"Yeah, and Angel's in total brooding phase," Kathy told them, "It's actually thoroughly annoying. I never knew someone could brood so much."

"You've never seen him at his worst," Dawn sighed.

"How long is she gone for?" Sean asked.

"Three days," Dawn answered immediately.

"That's not so bad…" Alex said slowly.

"It is if you're Angel," Kathy explained, "Three days without Buffy will seem like three centuries to him."

"Wow, he's got it bad for Buffy then," Sean said and Alex nodded in agreement.

"They have this whole soul mate thing going on sort of like 'Together you are strong but alone you are weak'…that whole deal," Dawn said, "So, tell us more about your families."

"Where to begin…" Sean and Alex said at the same time

**-Part 2- **

"First of all," Buffy started as she sat down, "What exactly is this place?"

"Well, it all depends," Annabelle told her.

"On what?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. That is what the power of perception is all about. It's just put to use in a much more forward way here. You see this teacup?" Annabelle picked up one of the porcelain teacups off the small table, "What color is it?"

"It's blue," she answered immediately barely taking a glance at it.

"To you, it's blue. To me, it's red," Annabelle smiled. When Buffy gave her a puzzled look she said, "Everything here is the way you want to see it. To me, right now I see us sitting on a checkered tablecloth in the grass, drinking tea by a waterfall."

"But that's impossible because we're indoors," Buffy trailed.

"To you we are indoors," Annabelle chuckled again, "It is about perception, Buffy. Always remember that when you're here."

"Perception," Buffy mumbled to herself as she looked around at her surroundings.

"I must go now," Annabelle said, rising from her place.

"Go? Where? I still have many things to ask and…"

"Hush, child, there will be much time for that," Annabelle told her, "Now you must go and rest."

"Rest?" Buffy began to yawn, "But I just took a nap."

"Yes, but you need a full night's rest," Annabelle said, "Go, and take this with you. It will help you sleep." Annabelle handed Buffy a small package.

"Thank you," Buffy told her before heading back to her room. She laid the pouch on her bedside table as she stripped down to only her underwear and her tank top. She placed herself under the covers, moved into a comfortable position and went to sleep.

--

_Buffy again woke up in her room, this time with Angelus sitting by her bedside with a piece of charcoal and paper, sketching her. "Hey, Buff," he said in the same, seductive tone he always did. _

_"What are you doing here?" Buffy said fearfully. _

_"You know there's only one thing I want Buffy, and that's you," Angelus told her, pausing in his strokes being drawn onto the paper. _

_"Why?" _

_"It's not a question for me Buffy," Angelus gave a cruel smile as he cupped her face with his hand. She closed her eyes as tears began to form, "It's a question for you. Why are you denying what we could have?"_

_"Because you're not him," Buffy began to sob._

_"I am him," he growled loudly, forcing her down on the bed and then straddling her. She yelled out in pain, but he said over her, "in so many ways you don't know." When Buffy opened her eyes, she saw the tiger from the white room slowly walking in circles, staring at Angelus and her. Her eyes looked back at Angelus, who moved in and kissed her, roughly and deeply. Buffy, her body and thoughts betraying her, kissed him back with equal ardor..._

--

Buffy again gasped and woke up, looking around her bedroom to see if anything had been real. There wasn't anything to prove it. She closed her eyes, replaying the dream in her head, before opening her eyes again and getting up and sitting in a corner of the room, with her back away from the wall.

--

"My mom left me when I was three," Sean told them, "And my dad never really got over it. He began to drink a lot. He began to beat me when I was eleven. One night when I was fourteen I ran out of the house to get away, and I came upon a vampire. At the time, I had no clue what it was, but I was able to fight it off and get away. The next day I went to my school's library, and that's how I met Alex. He was researching the same thing I was, but for different reasons. His dad's a Watcher. I didn't have clue what a demon was until he explained it to me. Ever since then we've been like brothers."

"Wow," Dawn said. All of a sudden Kathy jolted her seat. An intense pain came to her head.

"Kathy!" was the last thing she heard before blacking out.

-the same time in the apartment-

Angel was sparring with Connor when a sharp pain shot through his head. "Dad?" Angel stumbled onto the floor, clutching his head. He cried out in pain as images of the Receiver and his father flashed in his head. "Dad!" Connor quickly slid next to his father, "What is it?"

As soon as the pain had started, it was over, "He's here,and "Angel whispered hoarsely," The Receiver has him."

"The Receiver has who?" Connor asked as his father got up and began collecting different weapons, "Dad!"

"Your grandfather's here," Angel told him, "I have to go save him."

"But you don't even know where he is!" Connor exclaimed.

"I'll find him," Angel vowed.

"I'll come with you then," Connor stood by him.

"Connor," Angel turned and faced him, "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Then I'll be careful," Connor shrugged his shoulders simply.

--

"Kathy?" Sean began waving the menu in front of Kathy's face to give her air, "Kathy? Can you hear me?" Kathy finally moaned in response.

"Come on, Kathy," Dawn was leaning over the table. Kathy moaned again before her eyes fluttered open and he stared into Sean's eyes.

"I saw him," Kathy whispered.

"Him? Who is him?" Sean asked aloud, directing his question more to Dawn.

"Who did you see, Kath?" Alex asked interestedly.

"I saw my father," Kathy told them, "He was with someone I didn't recognize."

"Where was he?" Dawn asked.

"I…I don't know," Kathy began to sob.

"Come on," Sean said, picking Kathy up. Alex grabbed Dawn's hand and followed them out.

--

Buffy was now in the "dome room" doing yoga-like exercises with Annabelle. "Close your eyes and feel your emotions," Annabelle was saying quietly. Buffy closed her eyes and took in deep breaths. Annabelle seemed to sense this and said, "Good, Buffy." Slowly, thoughts came into Buffy's mind…things from her past and things she thought could be in the future.

"Find him," a voice whispered. Buffy opened her eyes and looked all around her, but could not find where the voice was coming from. "Find him," she heard again.

"Find who?" Buffy asked aloud.

"What, Buffy?" Annabelle said, coming out of her meditation.

"Didn't you hear that?" Buffy said, still looking around.

"Hear what, Buffy?"

"That voice," Buffy answered her.

"There were no voices, Buffy, I can assure you, this room must be completely quiet while we are meditating."

"But I heard someone…" Buffy started to say but then stopped, "…never mind."

--

"And what proposition would that be?" Keiran questioned grouchily.

"Let's just say your son owes me something," The Receiver told him.

"And what would that be?"

"I can't tell you the details, but if you bring him to me, I'll send you back home with great riches. Neither you nor your wife would ever go hungry," The Receiver explained to him.

"All I'd have to do is bring him to you?" Keiran said, getting slightly interesting in the demon's proposition. The Receiver nodded his head. "…you wouldn't hurt him, would you?"

"Oh no," The Receiver said, "He may be hurt for a moment when he pays what he owes me, but it'll only last for a moment." Keiran narrowed his eyes for a moment. He noticed a hint of dishonesty in his eyes.

"Well, then, I best be on my way," Keiran said.

"Wait, you don't know where he lives," The Receiver said s Riley handed him a piece of paper and scribbled down Angel's address on it. "Here," The Receiver handed the paper to Keiran. Keiran nodded his head, turned, and left.

**-Part 3- **

"Maybe you shouldn't even go," Connor said, "What if it's a trap?"

"Then so be it," Angel told him, "Look, I was never on the best of terms with my father, but I never wanted to hurt him, at least before I became demon and after I gained a soul…Angelus always cared for himself. I need to do this."

"Maybe I don't want to see you hurt, you are _my_ father after all," Connor told him.

"Look, son, I know you don't want me to do this and if I have to, you want to come with me. But I can't let you get hurt. You're my flesh and blood. I need someone to keep me going. As long as you're not hurt, I'll be fine," Angel explained to him.

"Is this one of those father-son things that's really sort of…"

"…uncomfortable, yeah I was having the same thoughts," Angel moved uneasily.

"What about Buffy?" Connor asked.

"What about her?" Angel paused and closed his eyes momentarily.

"What if something should happen to her?" Connor asked him. Angel's shoulders slumped in defeat as he went into the living room, sat on the couch, and began to brood.

--

A couple of hours after meditation, Buffy was back in her room, resting. She was a bit afraid to go back to sleep, fearing she might have another dream about Angelus, but she was getting too tired to fight it much longer. In a few minutes, she fell fast asleep.

--

_Buffy opened her eyes, not to find herself in the room at the retreat center, but in a dark room. She was lying on a large mahogany bed with satin sheets and a thick velvet bedcover. The windows were covered by long, thick, red curtains. _

_"Hello, Buffy," Angelus stepped in the room, wearing nothing but a pair of leather pants. He brought in with him two wine goblets. _

_"Hello, Angelus," she said seductively, without even realizing it. She realized that she was different somehow…but she couldn't put her finger on it. _

_"You've finally waken up I see," Angelus smirked, "It's a bit early, I thought you would still be down for another five hours."_

_"Sit with me," she purred. Angelus smirked and brought the wine goblets with him. _

_"This is for you," Angelus gave her the goblet. She immediately drank its contents only then realizing it was blood. It gave her an electric shock as it flooded into her veins._

_"To eternity with each other," he said before sipping his own. _

--

Buffy this time found herself on the floor remembering the taste of the blood in her mouth. She was a vampire in this nightmare. 'Are these dreams telling my future?' she wondered.

"Find him and you'll know…" the mysterious voice came again.

"Who are you?" Buffy said, looking around the room.

"Find him…" the whispery voice came again.

"Find who?" Buffy shouted.

"Buffy?" Annabelle came in with a tray with tea and afternoon snacks on it.

"Didn't you hear that?" Buffy asked her.

"Hear what?" Annabelle looked puzzled.

"That voice," Buffy started looking around again.

"Buffy, are you alright dear? Maybe you should lie down," Annabelle immediately put the tray down and walked to Buffy.

"No…"

"You do look a little pale, maybe you're delirious…"

"No! I am not delirious! I know I heard it!" Buffy yelled.

--

Alex, Dawn, and Sean carrying Kathy all barreled into the apartment, talking quietly amongst themselves and heading towards Kathy's bedroom.

"Hello?" Connor called from the living room.

"It's just us," Sean yelled back to him.

Connor watched his father brood for a few moments before he felt something go through him. Angel immediately whispered, "Buffy!" before jumping off of the couch and getting his jacket. He and Connor had opened the door when they almost ran over Keiran. "Dad?"

"Son? This is where you live now?" Keiran asked hopefully.

"What are you…how did you…"

"I'll tell you that later…right now, I need you to come with me," Keiran said.

"I can't. I have to go to Buffy. She needs me right now, and I must as I'm shocked and glad to see you, it's necessary that I get to Buffy," Angel slurred.

"Then let me come with you," Keiran said. Angel closed his eyes in deep thought before opening them and saying, "Fine. Come on." Keiran looked up in curiosity at Connor before following him after Angel.

--

"Buffy, please, sit down," Annabelle said trying to move her towards the bed.

"You think I'm insane," Buffy stopped and just looked at her, "You think I'm going insane. Well, for your information, I'm not. I know what I heard…wait, it's all about perception…"

"What?" Annabelle said.

"Perception," Buffy said louder, "When I first met you, everything here is based on each individual's perception. Maybe you're not hearing voices because you don't want to hear them."

"I beg your pardon," Annabelle's expression became very stern, "I open myself to…"

"The tiger…" Buffy remembered.

"The tiger can't help you," Annabelle told her, "He speaks to people through their thoughts. No one can understand him."

"I can," Buffy told her, "And I need his help." Suddenly, there was a white glow and the tiger appeared.

'_Young slayer, you called for my help.' _

"I've been hearing voices," Buffy told him, "And I don't know where they come from."

'_They come from me, young slayer. I'm telling you to go and find your vampire lover before he gets hurt. He's coming to you, but it could be at a very dear price.' _

"Someone here will try to hurt him?" Buffy asked, staring straight at Annabelle, who was now against the back wall, shaking in fear.

'_Oh, no, another enemy you have will know. He's changed the threads of time to try and hurt him. He's brought back someone who he thinks hates him, and will do anything to hurt him, but he may very well be wrong.' _

"Angel's father," she whispered to herself.

'_I cannot tell you anymore, young slayer. Just be wary of the events forthcoming.' _

"But what…" The tiger disappearing cut off Buffy, "I have to find him. Look, I think I'm going to need help with this," she turned to Annabelle, who was still staring at the spot the tiger had just occupied. Annabelle just nodded her head.

"But…w-who's the enemy h-he was s-sp-speaking of?" Annabelle stuttered.

"He's called the Receiver," Buffy told her, "He steals the souls of heroes and Angel's is one he wants in particular."

--

Angel drove up to the retreat center. By the time the three of them reached there, it was dark outside. While Connor and Angel got out of the car and went inside. Keiran looked around and saw a black van in the distance with the same man he saw earlier with the Receiver leaning against it. Keiran decided to ignore him and go inside.

"Hello!" the tiny woman who had greeted Buffy came and greeted the three men.

"I need to find Buffy…Buffy Summer," Angel told her.

"Ah, Buffy," the tiny woman smiled, "Buffy's in her room. Let me take you to her." The tiny woman motioned for them to follow her. They went through the dome room to the door marked with 3 on it and knocked. The door opened to reveal Annabelle standing in the doorway with Buffy just a few feet behind her.

"Angel!" She squeaked and jumped into his arms, "Oh you're alright!"

"Yes," he smiled but wondered, "Why wouldn't I be?" He, and the others, walked into with room still carrying Buffy who was now kissing him on every part of his face and neck.

"Because…"

"Because he was supposed to lead you to me," The Receiver growled from the doorway, pointing at Keiran. Riley stood behind the Receiver, ready to fight, "But in a way he has. So I get your soul anyway, vampire." The Receiver stepped into the room, walking towards Angel.

"No!" Buffy screamed and launched herself onto the Receiver, knocking him to the ground. Connor took a fighting stance while Buffy was immediately yanked off of the Receiver by Riley, who then threw her against the wall. She winced in pain.

"You're not going to win this, bitch," Riley said to her, advancing towards her again.

The Receiver stood up, brushed himself off again and again made his way towards Angel, easily knocking Connor and Keiran aside. Annabelle watched and shouted over the commotion to Buffy, "Buffy, and the tiger!"

Buffy closed her eyes and called for the tiger to help Angel. Suddenly a white glow appeared between Angel and the Receiver, who now had his hand out to get Angel's soul. The glow turned into the tiger who pounced on the Receiver and began scratching him. The Receiver cried out in pain as the tiger scratched at him and left three claw marks on his left cheek. Riley fired to gunshots at the tiger, but it did not slow him down one bit. The Receiver mustered all of the strength he could to push the tiger off of him. He got up and grabbed Riley and dragged him out of the room, calling back to Angel, "This isn't over, vampire! Not by a long shot! I will get what I've come for!" Angel ran over to Buffy, and held her.

'_You've found him. But heed the warning of the enemy.'_

"Whoa, the tiger is talking through…" Angel started to say but Buffy shushed him.

'_Another can understand me. You also have the gift.' _

"Gift? What gi…"

'_You and the young slayer can understand my words to you. It is rare when I find one person who ever does. But my assistance here is finished for now. Vampire, you have also been marked so that if you or the young slayer should ever need me, I'll be there.' _The tiger blinked before turning around and disappearing.

"Are you two alright?" Connor waved his hand in front of them, "You both spaced…"

"Yeah," Buffy recovered first, "Yeah, we're fine. Hello, Mr. O'Riley."

"Dad…" Angel asked his father, "The Receiver brought you here?" Keiran nodded his head slowly, "And you were going to lead me into a trap?"

"He said he wouldn't hurt you," Keiran said in a strangled voice, "He said you two went way back and that you owed him something."

"I don't owe that bastard anything," Angel rasped.

"Excuse me, but did he happen to come forth into the future?" Annabelle said, "Because we are experts with the threads of time."

"Send him back home," Angel said.

"Liam," Keiran tried to reason with him, "I didn't even get to see Kathy."

"If she knew what you'd done I don't think she'd want to see you," Angel told him fiercely, "You've interrupted my family's life and I don't know if I can ever forgive you for it."

"You mean to say that Buffy and this ragamuffin of a boy," Keiran glanced at Connor, "are your family?"

"Hey, I'm not…" Connor began to protest.

"Connor is my son," Angel gritted, "And you'd do well not to insult him…ever."

"Please, if we are to send him back," Annabelle said, "We must do it now."

"Son, I'm sorry," A single tear ran down Keiran's cheek, "I'm sorry." Angel didn't reply and only watched as Annabelle led his father away.

"Angel," Buffy touched his arm.

"No," Angel said roughly, "Don't say anything. Let's go."

--

Angel sat in the living room brooding some more while Connor, Kathy, Dawn, and Buffy were all talking in the kitchen. He wondered what the tiger meant by heeding to the Receiver's words. But there was one thing he was more concerned about.

Should he have forgiven his father?


	19. Chapter 19

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**  
Episode 1.19: Backfire  
Written by the Main Slayer & Anne  
Original airdate: December 3, 2004  
Episode rating: K+

-Part 1-

As Riley walked among his men as they trained and prepared for the task ahead. The A-Ops Team had been in training for weeks while the Receiver put the final touches on his master plan. Riley wasn't sure in the beginning if he wanted to be a part of it, but after the last mishap with Buffy and Angel, he was sure he was fighting on the right side. Riley knew that after tonight, there would be no more Angel and everything would be right with the world. Sure Buffy would be upset and probably try to seek revenge, but by that point Riley would be an Immortal, and her silly revenge kick would be nothing. Riley didn't care what it cost to bring Angel down, but it was going to happen. Leaving the room, Riley headed to the control room where Buffy & Angel were monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week. At the moment Buffy was having her morning shower and Angel was in the weight room. Connor was having breakfast, and Dawn and Kathy were getting ready for school. Riley made a special note that Angel was getting stronger every time they watched him train in his weight room. He was lifting more and learning new moves, but this was all monitored, so Riley could come up with move to counter what Angel was creating. Riley smiled to himself as Angel developed a new move, thinking of a counter move that Riley could use, he left the room so that he could test his theory. Everything was ready and moving according to the Receiver's plan. And soon, Angel and Buffy wouldn't know what hit them.

The Receiver was proud of his troops. His new found army. But there was more to their help than they knew. The Initiative played a crucial role in his plan and even they had no idea what that was. It was time to begin as the Receiver stood with a piece of paper in his hand. It was a small paper that was sealed into an envelope addressed to Buffy. Moving towards his troops, the Receiver turned to them.

"You have worked hard for this day. And now it is time to do what you have trained to do. Take out the vampire. Bring him here; lock him up, and by nights end you will be rewarded for your efforts. I promise you this and so much more. Do not fail me. Failure is not an option. Now go and make me proud." The crowd cheered and the soldiers headed for their trucks. Riley stood by the Receiver and smiled to him. Handing Riley the envelope, the Receiver left the room and headed to his office where his awaiting Lyphans were. He gave them a nod and both stood and left the room. Sitting down, the Receiver shut his eyes and concentrated on the task ahead.

Angel tore through his cloths looking for his suit. He had no idea where Buffy had put it and he had a press conference in a half an hour. Buffy was still in the bathroom and Angel had no idea where to look now. Banging on the bathroom door, Angel yelled to her.

"Buffy!" Angel yelled.

"What?" Buffy asked back.

"Have you seen my suit? I have a press conference and I need it." Angel said his hands on his hips.

"It's at the dry cleaners." Buffy yelled back.

"WHAT!" Angel cried. Buffy opened the door and placed a small hand on his chest.

"Well if you hadn't gotten blood all over it last week it wouldn't be there. They called yesterday and said that it wouldn't be ready for a few weeks." Buffy said to him as she moved to their room.

"Buffy! I need the suit now!" Angel exclaimed in frustration.

"I know," Buffy said as she opened the closet, "and that is why I bought you a new one." Buffy handed him the new suit and waited for him to reply. Angel put his arms around her and kissed her.

"Thank you!" He said to her as she handed him the suit.

"You're welcome." Buffy said to him as she sifted through her cloths and settled on a cute strapless sundress and sandals. Buffy smiled as Angel tried to tie his tie. Taking the tie in two hands Buffy quickly made the not and smiled at him as she kissed him.

"Perfect." Buffy said to him.

"Thanks." Angel said to her as he fused with his coat.

"You'll do fine." Buffy said to him as she put her dress on. Angel stepped up behind her and zipped up the zipper and planted a kiss to her neck.

"I hope so. I have never been in this situation before not to mention the fact that is it daylight and if the sun hits me in the wrong way I am in trouble." Angel said as he patted his pockets trying to find his keys.

"Listen, if there is anyone who can do this it is you. You'll do great. I know you will." Buffy smiled as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Thanks," Angel said as he grabbed his keys off the nightstand, "Are they ready to go?"

"Not sure, but I will find out." Buffy kissed him again and left the room. She headed to Dawn and Kathy's rooms and knocked softly. When Dawn opened the door, she smiled.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"You ready to go?" Buffy asked her.

"Sure thing. Let me get my bag." Dawn shut the door and Buffy moved on to the next door.

"I'll be out in a minute!" Kathy yelled. Buffy smiled and headed for the kitchen. Connor was sitting and eating his breakfast when Buffy came in.

"Hey. You ready?" Buffy asked him.

"Sure thing." Connor replied. With that Dawn and Kathy both came out of their rooms and grabbed a bagel from the counter. The stood in the doorway waiting for Connor and Buffy while Angel grabbed his notes from his office. Angel emerged only a second later to find his family waiting for him at the door. Angel smiled and grabbed his large coat.

"All ready?" He asked. Everyone nodded. Angel opened the door and they all filed out. Buffy stayed behind them and grabbed Angel's hand as they headed for the elevator. The drive to the school was harder than expected. The traffic was nuts and the roadblock didn't help. Angel drove up to the curb of Dawn and Kathy's school to let them out and then headed off to drop Connor off at the library. Connor kissed Buffy goodbye and said "later" to his dad. Angel smiled as he headed for the coffee shop where Buffy was meeting Faith. Faith had been living with them for some time, and she had finally decided to find her own place. Buffy had promised to help her with her house hunt and today they were looking at a few places. Angel drove up to the coffee shop and spotted Faith. Buffy gave him a long kiss goodbye and wished him luck on his conference. Buffy got out of the car and shut the door behind her. Walking up to Faith she gave her a big huge and waved as Angel drove off. It took Angel 20 minutes to get to the office. He parked the car in the underground parking and went over his notes one more time. Confident that he knew what he had to say Angel locked the car and headed for the elevator. Little did he know, he was about to be sorry for coming to work today, very sorry.

The elevator took Angel up to the 4th floor where the conference was being held. The doors opened and Angel expected to be greeted with camera's flashing and his co-workers, however, there was no one there. The curtains were drawn and the room was dark, but no one was there.

"Hello?" Angel called hoping that someone would answer. But there was nothing. Cautiously Angel entered the room putting down his brief case and his notes. Angel didn't have any kind of weapon on him, but his senses were alive with warnings going off in his head. Something was wrong. Suddenly something hit him from behind and Angel fell down. Standing quickly Angel spun around to look at his attacker.

"Riley," Angel hissed, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, nothing. Heard that you would be here, so I thought that I would drop by." Angel watched as Riley walked around the room and signaled other Initiative soldiers to emerge from their hiding places. They had him surrounded and he had no weapons except his hands.

"Sure you did. So what is this? A set up? A trap? Come on Riley, what are you up to now?" Angel asked him as his body tensed waiting for someone to attack him. No one moved.

"Can't fool you can I," Riley said to him, "And because you are so smart and you fell for the phony press conference I will make this all very painless." Riley nodded his head and Angel attempted to move in his direction. But something hit him in the back of the neck. Putting a hand to his neck Angel pulled out a small dart that was lodged in the back of his neck. Angel's vision began to blur as he watched Riley move towards him. Angel felt the room begin to spin as he fell to the ground. Angel hit the ground hard as the sleeping agent passed through his system. He tried to get up but was pushed back down by Riley's foot.

"Don't bother fighting it Angel. There is nothing that you can do. It's over buddy, you lose." After hearing what should have been words, Angel blacked out. Riley signaled for one of the men to pick him up. Successfully, Riley and the remaining Initiative men carried Angel back out the way they came and placed him in a large black van. Riley hit the back three times, and watched as the van peeled out of the parking lot. Phase one complete. Now onto phase two.

Buffy and Faith had been looking at apartments all day. With their feet aching they decided to go to a local bar and sit for a drink or two. Faith and Buffy had been talking for hours when a man came up to them with a tray in his hands.

"Buffy Summers?" He asked her.

"Yes." She said to him as she faced him.

"Some one left this for you." The man handed her an envelope and then left them alone.

"Probably Angel leaving you another love note," Faith said to her as she took a drag from her cigarette. Buffy smiled and opened the envelope. What she found inside was not a love note, but a ransom note. Buffy took hold of Faith's arm and put a hand to her mouth.

"B, what is it?" She asked her. Buffy handed her the note and closed her eyes as tears began to spill from her eyes. Faith took the note and read.

"We have Angel. Go to Central Park and stand by the pay phone by the water fountain. Wait for my call and do as I say and Angel will not be harmed. Involve any one other than Faith, and Angel will die. You have 2 hours to get to the park and wait for my call. Angel's life is in the balance." Faith put the note down and wrapped her arms around Buffy.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go." Faith said as she paid for their drinks. Buffy stood and grabbed her coat. Faith hailed a taxi and they headed to Central Park to await the phone call.

-Part 2-

Angel awoke to the pain of a cross being on his bare flesh. He cried out in pain before he opened his eyes and saw Riley standing there with a cross in his hand, evilly smiling.

"How does it feel now, vampire?" The Receiver stepped out from the shadows. Angel blinked before looking at his surrounding and seeing that he was in a church. "I decided that a church would be the best place for the ritual."

Angel stared at the Receiver coldly before asking, "What ritual?"

The Receiver ignored his question and called, "Knife!"

Angel watched as a boy who looked a little older than Kathy flew into the room, "You called?"

"I need you to do a little favor," the Receiver smirked, "Kill the vampire's sister and son."

"No!" Angel shouted. He had heard the order thanks to his sharp hearing senses, "Do whatever the hell you want to me. Leave them out of this."

"I don't think so, Angelus," The Receiver said, snatching the cross away from Riley and dropping it onto Angel, who yelled as the cross hit his skin, "No, we can't have anyone trying to come and rescue you. Go do it now, boy." Knife stood there laughing quietly and staring at Angel, but turned and skittered off to go fulfill the task he was called upon.

-about one hour later-

Connor and Kathy were playing on Playstation 2 in the living room when a knock was heard at their door. "I got it," Connor said, putting his remote control down and getting up. He went over to the door and opened it, "Can I help…" Connor started to say politely before being thrown back by a swift punch from Knife. Connor flipped back up and took a fighting stance. "Who the fuck are you?"

"I'm the last person you'll see before you die," Knife growled before lunging at Connor. Kathy, hearing the commotion from the living room, ran to where Connor and Knife were fighting. Knife saw her come in out of the corner of his eye and threw a spinning blade at her, cutting her cheek before resting on the floor.

"Kathy! Get out while you still can!" Connor yelled to her as he was held in Knife's grip.

-at the same time-

Sean was sitting at his desk in his room, writing a song for Kathy, when a sharp pain came into his head. He fell onto the ground and tightly held his eyes closed and watched the images that passed through his mind. He only had one thing on his mind when he got up and grabbed his coat and a sword.

He had to protect Kathy from Knife.

--

Kathy grabbed a pot off of the stove and slammed Knife in the head with it, knocking him away from Connor, "You'll go first then, sweetie," Knife bared his teeth and charged at Kathy, but Kathy moved out of the way just in time before Knife ran head straight into a wall.

"Kathy," Connor groaned, "Go, I'll handle this."

"Connor, if you think I'm leaving you here on your own then you've lost your mind," Kathy said, standing firmly by her nephew's side. Knife regained control of himself and took out his dagger, running towards the pair and stabbing Connor in the stomach. Connor grabbed his wound as he fell to the floor. The last thing he heard before going unconscious were Kathy's screams…

Kathy screamed out her lungs as she watched brother fall to the floor, grasping his wound. Knife grabbed her by the throat and said, "No one can help you now Kathy…"

"I'd think again," Sean snuck up behind him. Knife turned around for that split second and the handle of Sean's sword met with his face. Blood flew out of Knife's mouth before he fell to the ground. Sean stepped over Knife's body and cupped Kathy's cheek, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Kathy whimpered, "But we need to get help for Connor." Sean saw him, lifeless on the floor and ran to the phone and called 911. He told the operator what was wrong and the address of the apartment.

"Everything's going to be fine Kathy," Sean went back and held Kathy after he hung up the phone, "Everything's going to be alright."

--

Buffy and Faith had been at the park for almost two hours. Buffy paced around the pay phone with impatience, not being able to stand that she was helpless and could not do anything for Angel.

"We'll find him, B," Faith tried to calm Buffy down, "Pacing is not going to help him any. You need to sit down."

"Faith you don't understand," Buffy wailed to the brunette slayer, "Wherever he is, he's in deep pain. I can feel it. If only someone could help us…" Buffy trailed, ominously scratching her back. As she scratched she remembered the tiger who said he could be called on anytime she needed help. She closed her eyes and wished for the tiger to be there.

"B," Faith asked, "What's that weird white glow near you?"

"Just watch," Buffy said hopefully. They both watched as the white glow turned into the mystical tiger Buffy had been with on her retreat.

'_Young slayer, you call upon me why?' _

"Angel's in danger," Buffy told him, "And I don't know where to even begin to try and find him."

'_I cannot help you, young slayer.'_

"But you said…"

'_I know what I told you, but this involves the balance of good and evil. Your vampire lover carries that burden of balance.' _

"Angel and Angelus," Buffy whispered to herself, "But Angelus can't return, can he?"

'_Time will tell, young slayer, all I can say to you is be mindful of what you see and of what you are told. Lies are among you and your sister slayer. Be careful, or the life of your vampire lover will be annihilated.' _The tiger blinked at her before walking off and disappearing. Tears formed in Buffy's eyes.

"He was my last hope," Buffy choked.

"B, we'll find him," Faith said looking out in the directions around her, "We will."

-Part 3-

The ambulance arrived at Angel's penthouse within 5 minutes of the call. Kathy and Sean rode in the back as they were rushed to the hospital. Upon arrival Connor was taken into surgery and Kathy headed to the payphone. She called Angel first, only there was no answer. Frustrated, Kathy hung up the phone and dialed Buffy. Buffy picked up on the first ring. She sounded scared and frantic.

"Angel?!" She said.

"No, Buffy. It's Kathy."

"Oh. Sorry. Kathy, what is it?" Buffy asked her. Kathy could tell in her voice that she was hoping that it was Angel. Her voice sounded stressed and Kathy was sure she heard Faith in the background.

"It's Connor." She said. Kathy could visualize the look of shock and horror on Buffy's face when she said Connor's name.

"What! What happened?" Buffy asked her becoming more and more worried.

"We were attacked at the house by Knife. The demon I told you about. And Connor was hurt. Stabbed is more like it. Sean showed up and saved us but we had to get Connor to the hospital. I can't reach Angel and I'm really scared. Buffy, what do I do?" She asked as tears filled her eyes and spilled onto her cheeks.

"Kathy everything will be okay. Look, stay with Connor at the hospital and don't leave. Call Dawn. Get her there as soon as possible. Just stay there until I call you. Give me Sean." Buffy stated. Kathy handed the phone over to Sean and stepped back so he could talk.

"Hey."

"Hey. Listen something has happened. Angel has been kidnapped and Faith and I are on a trail to find him. You stay at the hospital with Kathy and Connor. Don't let her out of you sight and don't tell her about Angel. Keep her safe. I'm counting on you and your friend to keep my family alive. Call me the minute the doctors come out with news on Connor. Sean, please. Don't let anything happen to them." Buffy said to him.

"Promise. We won't leave and I'll call Dawn and get her here. Don't worry Buffy I'll take care of it."

"Thank you. I have to go, tell Kathy that everything is fine and that there is no need for panic." Buffy hung up the phone and Sean turned to Kathy.

"Buffy told me to tell you to phone Dawn and get her here. We are to stay here until we hear from Buffy. We also need to call her the minute the doctors come out and tell us something about Connor. So call Dawn, I'm going to go to the desk and find out how long it will be until Connor is done." Sean kissed Kathy's forehead and smiled. Kathy picked up the phone again and dialed Dawn.

"Yeah?" Dawn said.

"Dawn, its Kathy."

"Hey, what's up?"

"You need to get to the hospital now. Connor and I were attacked and Connor is hurt. Buffy told me to call you and get you're here as soon as possible. Please come. I'm scared and I don't know what to do." Kathy said as tears continued to pour down her face.

"What! Oh my god! Is Sean with you?" Dawn asked her.

"Yes."

"Okay. I'm coming. Don't move." Dawn hung up the phone and Kathy walked towards Sean. She looked at him and he shook his head. Nothing about Connor yet. She had tried Angel's cell one more time but no answer. _Where are you Angel?_ Kathy thought to herself as she and Sean sat down to wait for news on her nephew.

Angel awoke one more time to pain shooting through his body. He had no idea how long he had been out but it seemed like forever. He woke again to find Riley pushing more crosses against his body. Riley was enjoying this way too much. Angel wasn't sure how much more he could take of this before he passed out again. His thoughts raced as holy water was dumped down his back. Crying out his thoughts turned to Buffy and his family. He was sure that Buffy was worried sick by now. He had over heard the Receiver talking about a plan to keep Buffy out of the way so that she wouldn't stop the ritual. His mind also raced to the thought of his sister and son in danger from that Knife character. He had never had the pleasure of meeting Knife, but if he got out of this he would be sure to introduce himself before tearing the boys head off. Another wave of pain hit him as another bottle of holy water was dumped on him. Angel had been strapped down for hours as the torture continued. Angel had been tortured plenty of times before, but this was different. He couldn't take anymore. The burn marks were beginning to scar but Riley never let them get too far along. He would rip open the wounds the second they began to heal. It was going to take forever for these to heal when he got out. Riley laughed as Angel tried to struggle against his restraints.

"It's no use Angel. It's over. You lose." Riley dumped another container of holy water on the vampire and watched him scream.

"Riley." Angel managed.

"What now?" Riley said back.

"When this is over," Angel said as he looked up into the man's eyes, "I'm going to kill you." Riley laughed at him and hit him hard across the face.

"I don't think so Angel." Riley hit him again sending his head flying back. His neck snapped to the side and Angel went out again. The last thing he heard was the Receiver walking in and reporting that Knife was dead. Smiling slightly, Angel passed out.

As Buffy and Faith waited for the phone call, Buffy sat down for the first time in a half an hour. The second she sat down the phone rang. Buffy leapt from her seat and rushed the phone.

"Hello!" Buffy cried.

"Go to Grand Central Station and wait by the phone booth on platform 10. Arrive with 10 million dollars in cash or Angel dies. Be there in one hour." The phone went dead. Buffy hung up the phone and screamed. She threw her weight against the phone and knocked it over. She crumpled to the ground and hugged herself. Faith sat down beside her and put her arms around her friend. Buffy sobbed in Faith's arms as Faith rocked her. Buffy didn't stay down for long. She had one hour to get to Grand Central Station with 10 million in cash. Buffy turned to Faith and smiled.

"Thanks. But we need to go now. We need 10 million in cash and need to get to Grand Central within an hour." Buffy said as she walked away from the crushed pay phone.

"Where are we going to get the money?" Faith asked her.

"Angel has a bank here and he has the money. I just hope they let me take it out. He said that he put my name on the account, and all I had to do was go and get what I needed, right now I need 10 million." Faith followed Buffy as the crossed the street to the bank. Buffy opened the door and headed to the first available person in sight. She had to get to Grand Central and she had 50 minutes left.

It took 3 hours before the doctor came out of the operating room to talk to Kathy and Sean. By that point, Dawn had arrived and all three were waiting for news. The doctor came out and headed for them. Kathy stood with Sean's arm draped around her shoulder. Kathy wrapped her arms around her stomach as the doctor approached.

"Kathy O'Riley?" He asked her.

"Yes."

"Connor is going to be fine. We had to go in to get the point of the knife out, no major organs were hit, we stitched him up, and he will make a full recovery." Kathy smiled as she gave the doctor a hug.

"Thank you so much." She said to him.

"You're welcome. He is in recover right now and you can see him when he wakes up." The doctor rubbed her arm and left them. The nurse showed the to Connor's room and all three of them sat down in chairs around his bed. He looked too peaceful sleeping there. Kathy took Connor's hand and tried to force her tears back. Sean rubbed her back and kissed her head.

"We are here Connor. We are here and everything is going to be fine." Connor's hand twitched as she spoke and Kathy smiled. Kathy's mind wandered to her brother as she sat with Connor. _Angel, where are you? Why can't I get a hold of you? Connor needs you. _Kathy held Connor's hand tightly and tired to think happy thoughts, but all she could think about was how there was something extremely wrong.

Buffy left the bank in a huff because it took more than 20 minutes to get the money. With duffel bag in hand, Buffy signaled a cab and got in. She told the cabby where she wanted to go and to him to step on it. She had 25 minutes to get there and get to the phone before it was too late. Tears formed as she thought of Angel. Faith took Buffy's hand and smiled at her. Yelling at the cabby, Faith demanded that he put his foot down and risk getting a ticket. By the time they hit Grand Central Buffy only had 5 minutes to get to platform 10 before she was too late. Buffy and Faith tore through the lobby of the station knocking over people as they rushed to gate 10. With their Slayer strength and speed on their side they made it just as the phone went off. Buffy, grabbing the phone, nearly tore it off the wall as she put the bag down.

"Okay. I'm here. Now what?" Buffy yelled into the receiver.

"Take the bag and drop it in the tunnel by the white flagged door. Leave the Station via the front door and don't look back. Wait for my call on your cell phone that I have received the money. Angel will be returned to you within 24 hours. You have 15 minutes to get the money in the tunnel and to leave." With that the phone went dead. Buffy tore away from the phone without hanging it up and Faith ran after her.

"B! Wait! What is going on?" Faith yelled to her.

"We have 15 minutes to get this money down the tunnel and out of the building. There is no time to talk Faith. Just run!" Buffy yelled back as she tore through the crowd. Her mind ran to Angel and to Connor. _God, please let them be okay._ Buffy and Faith reached the white flag, opened the hatch and placed the money inside. Turning around, Buffy and Faith ran out of the tunnel and back up the stairs for the exit. 5 minutes to spare, Buffy and Faith exited the building. Buffy stopped dead in her tracks and hunched over. Faith did the same as the stood hand in hand waiting for Buffy's cell to ring. Faith gave Buffy a hug and smiled. Buffy phone soon sounded and she tore it out of her pocket.

"We have the money. You are free to do as you wish. Within 24 hours Angel will be returned to your home. I suggest that you go to the hospital to see Connor." The phone went dead again and Buffy crushed it in her pocket. For a split second Buffy thought _what if we were played?_ The thought soon vanished as a dark van drove up beside them and a commando raced out. Dropping Angel's jacket in front of her he climbed back in the van and they drove off. Buffy picked up the coat and looked in all the pockets. Buffy found a note in the left pocket and read it allowed.

"Buffy, I love you with all my heart. Goodbye." Tears ran down the Slayers face. Buffy dropped the jacket and fell to the ground. She had made a mistake. She wasn't going to see Angel again, and this was the proof.

Buffy and Faith arrived at the hospital one-hour after they had received Angel's jacket. Connor was already awake and talking with the girls when Buffy and Faith entered the room. Buffy gave Dawn, Kathy and even Sean a hug and sat down beside Connor.

"How are you doing?" Buffy asked him.

"I'm alright. You?" Connor asked her.

"I've been better." Buffy turned to the group and saw that Kathy's eyes were just as red as hers were.

"I can't get a hold of Angel. I have tired again and again and there is just no answer." Kathy said. Buffy's tears returned to her eyes as she took Kathy's hands in hers.

"There is something you need to know. Angel was kidnapped and Faith and I went on some wild goose chase to get him back only to be too late. We have no idea where he is or if he is alive. I'm sorry Kathy. I just don't know what happened." Buffy said to her as the young girl fell into Buffy's arms.

"We phoned Willow," Faith said as she turned to the group, "She is trying to locate him through a locator spell but so far no luck. Right now all we can do is sit and pray that he is okay." Buffy put her arm around Connor's shoulder and Faith held Dawn. All they could do was wait.

Night came and the Receiver was ready. The church had been prepared in every detail and all the candles were lit. His Lypahns were located at the end of the altar where Angel was located. He lay on the altar battered and broken from the continuous torture that Riley had put him through and it made the Receiver smile. The Receiver turned to his followers and smiled. In a booming voice he gave his commands.

"It is time!" With that some of his followers grabbed Riley by the arms and dragged him to the head of the church. Trying to fight them off, Riley began to yell.

"What is going on! What are you doing! Let me go!" He demanded as he was dragged before the Receiver.

"Don't be alarmed Riley, I am only giving you what I promised." The Receiver said to him.

"Immortality?" Riley questioned.

"No. Now why would I give you that?" The Receiver said to him as he gave a nod and Riley was dragged to a post that was situated right behind Angel.

"But you said! You promised me! You said that if I did what you asked I would get to be like you! An Immortal!"

"Riley you really should learn not to trust an evil being. We tend to lie a lot." Shock ran across Riley's face as he was tied to the post. Riley tried to kick off the men, but they just pulled the knots tighter.

"You can't do this to me! I did everything that you asked. I believed you! I trusted you with my life!" Riley yelled at him as tears threatened his eyes.

"Yes, yes you did. And now is the time to keep your word," The Receiver turned to Riley with a wicked smile on his face, "Give up your life." The Receiver laughed as Riley looked at him with shock on his face. He turned to his Initiative friends but none of them moved. A single tear fell down Riley's cheek as he realized that this really was the end. His life was over.

-Part 4-

'_Buffy'_ Angel thought to himself, _'Help me'_

-at the hospital-

"Angel," Buffy said aloud, becoming very alert. Everyone looked at her like she was insane, but she ignored them all.

--

'_Buffy, save me, please,'_ Angel pleaded, getting the deep knowledge that she could hear his thoughts.

--

"Where are you, Angel?" Buffy again said aloud.

--

'_Church…I don't know w-…just get here…he's going to do something…'_ Were Angel's last thoughts to Buffy before he passed out again.

--

"I know where he is," Buffy announced sternly before getting up and taking off down the nearby stairwell.

Faith stared at her sister slayer before jumping out of the seat and following her, "You guys stay here. I've got her back." Faith quickly rushed after Buffy.

"No one else is coming?" Buffy said quickly as she and Faith flew down the flights of stairs thanks to their slayer speed.

"No," Faith replied to her, "You don't want any of them risked anyways. They're your family. You don't want to see any of them more hurt then they already have been." Buffy slammed the exit door open and ran to the right. "B," Faith yelled to her, "Where exactly are we going?"

"We're going to church," Buffy said, running as fast as her legs could carry her.

--

"A life for a life," Angel mumbled to Riley as he slipped in and out of consciousness. The Receiver smiled. The full moon was almost at its peak and when it was, he'd be able to take the soul of the vampire.

"Kill him," The Receiver motioned to Riley and sneered at one of his vampire lackeys. The vampire went up to a quivering Riley who again began to plead for his life. The vampire easily snapped Riley's neck leaving silence throughout the church once again. Riley body fell limp to the floor.

"Now vampire, it's time for me to take that pretty soul of yours." The Receiver eagerly rubbed his hands together as his lackeys were making the final preparations. "Prepare to say goodbye…well…to your soul at least…you'll still be here…but you won't be you will you?" The Receiver breathed in his face, baring his yellow teeth to Angel.

"She'll tear you apart once she gets here," Angel retorted, referring to Buffy.

"The slayer can't hurt me vampire," The Receiver sneered to Angel, "No one can."

"You don't know Buffy," Angel warned him.

"Fuck you, vampire," The Receiver shouted, "Your little slayer will never find you! I've sent her on a wild goose chase that leads her to all the wrong places!"

"That doesn't matter," Angel said weakly, "Our love is stronger than any obstacle you put in its way. She'll find me and kick your ass." One of the vampire lackeys made a motion to The Receiver

"Oh, she may find you," The Receiver said, seeing the motion, "But not in time…" The Receiver was hand a bowl of a special mixture that he dipped his hand into. A hole had been made in the roof so the moon could shine down on Angel. The Receiver walked up to him and let his hand bask in the moonlight as his minions began chanting the spell. The mixture glowed a bright red before turning silver. Angel managed to glance down at the hand that was now nearing his heart.

--

Buffy kept running with Faith beginning to tire and fall behind her. The blonde slayer had the church in plain view and could feel her lover getting closer and closer. She only hoped that she'd be able to get to him in time.

--

"Victory is mine," The Receiver said victoriously before smashing his hand over Angel's heart. A bright white light emanated from the reaction as Angel screamed as he was being burned slowly from the inside.

"Angel!" Buffy screamed as she slammed through the doors of the church.

After the Receiver had finished taking Angel's soul, the raven-haired immortal relished in his newfound strength, while Angel, being ripped from his bonds from the intensity of the spell, fell to the ground. Once he managed to sit up again he saw Buffy rushing towards him, "Angel!" She rushed down next to him, "Angel, are you alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine, Buff," came not the voice of her Angel, but the cold voice of Angelus. Buffy crawled backwards a short distance.

"Angel?" Buffy choked, tears beginning to form in her eyes as she realized that it was not Angel staring back at her.

"Hello, lover…"

_…to be continued…_


	20. Chapter 20

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**  
Episode 1.20: Ritualistic  
Written by the Main Slayer & Anne  
Original airdate: December 9, 2004  
Episode rating: K+

**-Part 1-**

As Buffy sat with her back pushed against the wall of the church, her heart fell in disbelief. _He wouldn't do it! He just wouldn't!_ Buffy kept closing her eyes and wishing that the man stalking towards her was not Angelus. The look in his eyes was wicked and all she could see was bloodlust. She knew that if she didn't get up and run the other direction, he would kill her for sure. Buffy couldn't move; she was paralyzed from the waste down and her legs wouldn't move. Angelus moved towards the Slayer and he could almost taste her blood on his lips.

"Oh come on, lover," Angelus taunted, "Aren't you happy to see me?" He moved even closer towards her and witnessed a single tear fall down the Slayers face. Smiling to himself he picked up the pace and glided towards her and knelt in front of her face so she could look directly into his amber eyes. Buffy looked up for only a moment and then cast her head down and began to sob silently.

"This isn't real." She wept.

"Oh, baby, trust me it's real. And boy, am I going to have a lot of fun with this. I mean the last time I saw you, you were sending me to hell. And that is not something that you forget," Angel grabbed a hold of her chin and smiled, "Especially if you are me." Tears fell down Buffy's cheeks as she stared into the face of the Devil. Angelus kissed her roughly then ran out the door of the church. Sitting on the floor, Buffy noticed that the Receiver was still in the room. Anger took over the Slayers body and the adrenaline rush that surged through her system was enough to take her across the room where she wrapped her hands around the bastard's neck. Hoisting the man above her head, Buffy glared at the creature that had taken Angel's soul and threw him across the room. She threw him far enough that he reached Faith where she picked him up and knocked him unconscious. Faith looked up to see Buffy fall to the ground once more. Faith rushed over to her friend and put her arms around her. Buffy cried in Faith's arms as she thought of what was left of Angel, nothing. Buffy didn't know what was going on around her all she could hear was Faith's voice and the words replaying over and over in her head:

_"Hello, lover."_

----

Connor was asleep when Faith arrived back at the hospital. Dawn, Kathy, and Sean were all still waiting for her and Buffy to arrive back with news of Angel. Faith stepped into the room and a tear ran down her face as she saw Connor lying in his bed. Faith walked to Connor's bedside and took his hand. Connor eyes fluttered open and Faith sat down beside him. Connor could tell right away that something was wrong. He slowly sat up and looked at Faith.

"He's gone isn't he." Connor said plainly as Faith allowed the few tears remaining to shed down her face.

"I'm sorry, Connor," Faith said to him, "But we were too late. The Receiver got won. He took Angel's soul. All that is left is the vampire inside him. Angelus is back." Connor gave Faith a hug and smiled.

"You did everything you could." Connor said.

"If Buffy and I hadn't been on the wild goose chase, it never would have happened. We would have never lost him." Faith said as Kathy fell into Sean's arms and began to cry herself.

"Where is Buffy?" Dawn asked.

"At the house," Faith replied, "We managed to capture the Receiver before he got away. Buffy has him there and she is waiting for him to wake up so she can beat out of him the spell to get Angel's soul back. I put a call into Willow. She is on her way; so is Giles. We are going to get him back, it is just going to take time."

"How is she?"

"Devastated. She finally gets Angel back only to loose him again. It's not fair." Faith said. The doctor arrived just then as the group had finished the conversation. Looking at their faces, he decided to leave his impulse to ask what was wrong and instead moved onto some good news.

"Connor, I am pleased to tell you that you may go home now. All I need you to do is sign these release forms and you are on your way." Connor signed the form and gave it back to the doctor. Handing Connor a copy, the doctor left the room so that Connor could get dressed. Once Connor was ready, Faith and the group walked out of the hospital together. Little did they know, Angelus was watching them. He had planned to leave town, but playing with their heads and getting under their skin sounded like a much better plan.

----

Willow and Giles were on the first flight out of Rome to New York as soon as Faith called them. Giles couldn't believe that this had happened. Faith explained the entire situation to them and with the combined efforts Giles and Willow had come up with enough information to destroy this Receiver and release Angel's soul. The only problem was that Angel's soul was no longer in the ether, which meant that it was going to take some creative work to get it back in Angel's body. Willow had gone to the Coven and asked them for help. They had suggested a spell to connect with a passed Romani gypsy that might be willing to help them save Angel. Giles knew exactly whom the Coven was talking about and for the first time since her death, Giles would get to see Jenny.

----

Faith arrived at the airport 20 minutes after Giles and Willow's flight had landed and greeted them with a hug. Giles was a little hesitant at first, but caved when he saw the pain and sadness in Faith's auburn eyes. Faith smiled warmly when she received her hug and hugged him back harder. Giles put a supportive hand on her back as the walked through the airport.

"Any idea where he is?" Willow asked.

"Not yet," Faith replied, "I have been out a few times looking for him but we are not sure where he is at."

"How is Buffy?" Giles questioned.

"Interrogating our prime suspect." Faith replied with a smile.

"You have the Receiver?" Giles asked her.

"We do. Didn't have enough brains to run, so we got him. Buffy was so angry that she took him out. I helped of course, but it was mostly B." Faith and Giles picked up the bags and headed for the taxi that was waiting out front. Angelus watched as the got into the cab and glared at them. The witch was back. He had to make sure that they didn't get his soul back if it was the last thing he did.

----

Buffy sat with the Receiver tied to a chair. Buffy observed as Connor took a knife and carved straight parallel lines down the Receiver's back. Angel had taught Connor well, or Connor was naturally like his father. Which one she wasn't sure. Buffy smiled when the Receiver winced in pain. This was almost as good as killing him. And she would once Giles arrived with the answer. So far the Receiver had told them about his boss and how he came to be a Receiver. He also commented on the death of Riley, which made Buffy happy on the inside. Bastard! He deserved it anyway. Buffy was actually getting tired of this. Obviously it wasn't doing them any good. So instead of waiting she headed over to one of his Lyphans which were tied to the wall and reached down. The Receiver looked up and what could be a tear fell down his face.

"Noooooo!" The Receiver cried as Buffy snapped its neck. The beast's neck made a crunch sound. The dog made one silent yelp as it went limp. The Receiver's body surged with pain as his beloved dog died. He cried out in pain and then his body went limp. Walking over to him, Buffy check to see if he was unconscious. He was. She touched Connor on the arm and they left the room. Connor motioned to pick up the dead beast's body but Buffy shook her head.

"Leave it. Let him see what will happen if he doesn't start listening to me." With that she walked out of the room and into the kitchen. Connor shut the door behind him and sagged onto the couch. Buffy rubbed her hand threw her hair and placed her elbows on the table. Then she heard the door unlock and she rushed to it. Giles was standing on the other side and she threw herself at him. Giles hugged his Slayer as she wept on his shoulder. Faith let Willow and Giles in and headed to the kitchen to make some tea. Willow gave Buffy a hug and put her bag down. Connor stood as Giles entered the room.

"You must be Angel's son, Connor." Giles said to him. Connor nodded at looked at the man. Willow came up behind him and Connor smiled. Willow he remembered. Willow gave him a hug and smiled at him.

"I'll get him back. I promise." She said to him. Connor smiled then turned to Buffy.

"I'm going to lie down." Connor then turned and went to his room. Buffy watched as he shut the door to his room. Kathy and Dawn had been in their rooms ever since they got home. Buffy knew that Kathy was having a hard time with this because Angelus was the monster who had killed her in the first place. Buffy knew that if Kathy was anything like Angel, she would be fine. Buffy, Faith, Willow and Giles all sat around the table as they brought out their research. Buffy didn't want to hear anything unless it was how to kill the Receiver and get Angel back.

"Have you seen him?" Giles asked her. Buffy looked up.

"What?" She asked him.

"Have you seen Angelus since he turned?"

"No. I have been here trying to get information out of my hostage." Buffy said to him.

"Well, I believe that our first order of business is to find Angelus and get him in a binding spell so that he doesn't hurt anyone. I have contacted a Watcher here in New York and he has several Slayers under his authority and he has sent them out to find him. They will not kill him Buffy. I promise you that. Gillman will call us the minute he has been captured. Faith I think it wise you help them. You have fought him before and you know his habits. Here is the address. Find Angelus. We can't save him if he is out of the country." Faith nodded and gave Buffy another hug. She then grabbed Buffy's Scythe and headed out the door. While observing Giles noticed how unreceptive Buffy was to emotions. She was like a wall. Not talking about it or even looking him in the eye when Angel's name was mentioned. Giles' heart broke as he watched Buffy go through the pain of loosing Angel yet again. Giles wasn't sure how much more of this Buffy could take.

"How do I kill him?" Buffy asked Giles.

"Buffy you won't need to kill him. We will save him."

"Not Angel," Buffy said eyes downcast, "The Receiver. How do I kill him?" Giles opened a leather bound book and took out his notes.

"Well, it is not black and white that is for sure. You must call on a elder spirit of higher power to destroy him. We ourselves, can't kill him because he is an Immortal. Only another Immortal can kill him. Do you have anyone in mind?" Giles asked.

"I do." Buffy said to him.

"Who?"

"Cordelia. She is a higher power now. Ever since she passed away. If we can find a way to call her, she'll do it. She loves Angel just as much as I do, she won't let the Receiver live." Buffy looked at Willow. Without even asking Willow launched into her plans to get Angel's soul back.

"Okay. The only problem there is, is that Angel's soul is no longer in the ether. It is going to be extremely difficult to locate it without disrupting a few souls along the way. The Coven suggested the Romani people. But as of right this moment, none of them want to help us. I contacted a few in Rome. No hits. They still hate him and would rather see him dead then happy. So there is only one other person I can think of that will help us." Willow said as she looked to Giles. Warmth spread across his face as he thought of seeing Jenny again.

"Who is that?" Buffy asked her.

"Ms. Calendar." Buffy looked to Giles and smiled.

"Can you do that?" She asked.

"I think so. It will be tricky and she won't be able to stay long. There are a few things I have to get at a magic shop and then prepare for a day to contact her spirit from the underworld. But it should be a problem. I am a goddess after all." Willow said with a smile. Buffy looked at her friend and gave her a quick smile.

"Any ideas on how we contact a higher power?" She asked.

"Yes," Giles said, "Here in New York there is a place where we can go to contact beings known as the Oracles. Through them we ask them to send us our higher power. Normally, if the situation is dire and we give them a good enough gift, they will send them. The only problem I have is where to find them." Giles said to her.

"I know how. Angel has a few contacts left here. I'm sure I can find them and ask them how to get to the Oracles," Buffy said. Giles nodded.

"All right, lets get started then." Willow said as she stood. Buffy handed her the address to a magic shop in town that would keep an open tab for her. Buffy went into her bedroom to grab Angel's address book. With address book in hand, Buffy gave Connor the okay to torture the Receiver some more and the three friends headed out of the apartment and onto the streets of New York. Angelus stood at the balcony of his apartment he had shared with Buffy. Angelus smiled to himself.

"So all I have to do to keep Buffy from bringing Angel back is to kill ever last contact that I have in New York. And the witch of course." Angelus smiled to himself as he jumped from the balcony to the ground level. Sauntering down the street a young woman caught his eye. Before he got to work, it was time to have something to eat.

**-Part 2- **

After Angelus had polished off the young woman, he made his way to a demon bar to find out where the Oracles were. Once inside, he strutted to where the bartender was standing and said, "Where's the owner?"

"You're lookin' at him," came a gruff reply. The bartender wasn't interested in what Angelus had to say so he turned back to his work.

Angelus chuckled to himself and said, "Well, maybe you can help me."

"I don't help demons," the bartender warned him.

"Well," Angelus said, roughly grabbing and going into game face, "You're going to help me…or you'll be dead before you can say 'attack', got it?" The bartender meekly nodded his head. "Now, I need to know where a couple of mystical people are…called the Oracles."

"What d'you want with them?"

"Well, it's a personal matter," Angelus told him, "that's needs to be settled immediately." Angelus flicked the bartender a hundred dollar bill.

The bartender glanced around before taking the bill and saying to Angelus, "You know the South Street Pier?"

--

Buffy, Willow and Giles stepped into the dark, quaint shop with very little hope of getting help from the owner. As Willow and Giles searched for someone else, Buffy fell back and began to look around at the different mystical objects and thought of Angel.

//_Don't pretend you're sorry_

_I know you're not…_

_You know you've got the power _

_To make me weak inside//_

As her fingers ran across many of the dusty objects, tears began to form in her eyes as she realized she had once again lost her Angel. She leaned against the edge of a bookcase and slid down against it, coming to rest on the floor with tears now flowing down her cheeks.

"Angel…" she whispered.

//_And girl you leave me breathless_

_but it's ok, because you are my survival_

_now hear me say I can't imagine _

_A life without your love//_

Angelus walked in the sewers and heard Buffy crying out in his thoughts. 'So…she and soulboy can feel each other…how very…touching…it could come in handy,' he thought to himself. He imagined all of the things he could do to his little Slayer once her little gang was out of the way. He closed his eyes in pleasure at thoughts of his soon-to-be-Slayer-turned-vampire.

//_And even forever don't seem like enough_

'_Cause every time I breathe I take you in_

_And my heart beats again, and baby I can't help it_

_You keep me drowning in your love_//

While Willow had found the manager and began to talk to her about the ingredients she needed, Giles wandered into the store to end up finding Buffy sitting against a bookcase crying.

"Buffy?"

"He's gone," she cried quietly, "He's really gone. It hurts so much."

"We'll get him back Buffy," Giles promised.

"Not this time," Buffy disagreed through her tears, "The Receiver's gotten his soul. It can't be taken out of him just like that. Angelus is here to stay."

"And you'll fight him and beat him just like you did last time," Giles assured her.

"I didn't kill him," Buffy corrected, "I killed Angel…not Angelus…"

//_And every time I try to rise above_

_I'm swept away by love, baby I can't help it_

_You keep me drowning in your love_

_Maybe I'm a drifter, late at night_//

Angelus smirked as images of Buffy's sadness in the magic shop were depicted in his mind. 'Don't worry lover, I'll be with you soon enough. Just as soon as I dispatch of those pesky Oracles.'

--

Buffy closed her eyes and focused her mind on the silent but hearable voices in her head. As she focused in deeper and deeper, she heard Angelus' thoughts, "Oh no…" she choked.

"Buffy?" Giles came closer to her, "What is it?"

"He's going to kill the Oracles," Buffy said, jumping up from her position, grabbing a nearby weapon and running out of the shop.

//_'Cause I long for the safety _

_Of flowing freely in your arms_

_And I don't need another lover_

_It's not for me, 'Cause only you can save me_

_Oh can't you see//_

Angelus knew that Buffy had seen him in her thoughts and now was coming to stop him from killing the Oracles. He also knew that she was too far away and would never make it in time.

--

'That's what you think,' Buffy said aloud as she heard Angelus' thoughts.

//_I can't imagine life without your love_

_And even forever don't seem like long enough_

'_Cause every time I breathe I take you in_

_And my heart beats again, baby I can't help it_

_You keep me drowning in your love_//

Angelus growled in anger at how the Slayer could get him so wound up. 'Why do I care about her so much? I should be ripping her neck out!'

--

'I guess Angel left too many unavoidable memories of me, huh?'

--

Angelus winced as Buffy thought the truth. That soul had left some pretty good memories of what Buffy was like in bed…and he couldn't wait until Buffy was in his…but meanwhile, he focused on his task…opening the portal to the Oracles. He tried to remember what the bartender had told him…

//_Every time I try to rise above, I'm swept away by love_

_Baby I can't help it, you keep me drowning in your love_

_Go on and pull me under, cover me with dream, yeah_

_Love me mouth to mouth now, you know I can't resist_

'_Cause you're the air that I breathe_//

Willow, although she had noticed that both Giles and Buffy had disappeared, focused on the most important task…calling Jenny forth. The owner of the store was kind enough to let her borrow the back room for a couple of days for use of the ritual. Willow began her preparations by throwing black rose petals around the perimeter.

--

"What'll we do if he comes here?" Kathy asked after Connor had explained the story of Angelus to her and Sean.

"We fight him," Connor said diligently.

"And what'll happen if we lose," Sean asked him.

"If we do come up against him, we won't lose," Connor assured.

"How do you know that?"

"It's three of us against on of him! Kathy's a Slayer, you're a demon hunter and I was raised in a hell dimension dammit!"

//_Everytime I breathe I take you in and my heart beats again_

_Baby I can't help it, you keep me drowning in your love _

_Everytime I try to rise above, I'm swept away by love, _

_Baby I can't help it_//

"Buffy!" Giles called, "Stop! We need you for the ritual!"

"The Oracles, Giles!"

"If the Oracles are killed, two new ones will be called forth!" Giles explained to her, "Now, please, if you want any chance of getting Angel back you need to come with me back to the magic shop."

"Fine," Buffy accepted grudgingly. As she walked back with Giles, her thoughts couldn't help but wander to Angelus.

--

Willow was chanting in Latin when Giles and Buffy entered the room. She motioned for them to stand in front of her and grab her hands while she spoke.

--

Angelus figured out that Buffy had stopped coming after him for some reason, but he didn't know why. He searched his thoughts and wasn't able to find an answer. He turned and looked at the now dead bodies of the Oracles and stalked off smiling, thinking of the many ways he could break the Slayer.

//_You keep me drowning in your love_//

**-Part 3-**

Willow sat with her eyes closed as she listened to hear Jenny's voice. The beginning part of the ritual was to join the spirits in their realm and contact her there. As of right now, Willow was having no luck locating the lost Gypsy as she glided among the departed souls.

"Jenny!" She cried as she listened to the sad stories of the souls trapped on this plane. She wandered for what seemed like forever when she came across a floating spirit that she recognized.

"Oh my god!"

---

Angelus strode through the streets of LA focusing his thoughts on Buffy. She would be his if it was the last thing he would do. The blood of the Oracles still stained his hands as he moved through the crowds. He stopped at a small restaurant and slipped into their bathroom. He locked the door and moved towards the sink. He hard remembered what it was like to have a second voice in his head when Cordelia tried to manipulate him into doing whatever he wanted, but this was different. It was like sonar, he knew what Buffy was thinking and what she was doing all at the same time. He looked into the mirror and closed his eyes. Angelus' mind drifted to hers. However, he found that there were no thoughts running through the Slayers mind. He couldn't focus on a single thought or action that the Slayer was having. It was like she had dropped off the face of the planet.

"Damn you Angel!" Angelus screamed at the mirror, "You had to fall in love with this girl! Why couldn't it be someone else! What is it about her that makes her special?" Silently Angelus listened for an answer. He wasn't expecting on, and then suddenly a voice sounded in his head, a voice he hated.

_"Because she looks beyond the demon."_

---

"I don't believe it!" Willow exclaimed as she approached the spirit. The soul drifted to Willow and smiled.

"Willow? What are you doing here?" it asked her.

"What am I doing here! What are you doing here? This is place for lost souls, and for souls who have unfinished business. So why are you here?" Willow was confused. She had no clue why she was looking into the face of Buffy's mom.

"I'm not sure. I know there is something that I forgot to do, but I can't remember what it is." Joyce said with distress in her voice.

"Maybe…" Willow said out loud, "Maybe you need to tell Buffy how much you love her and miss her and Dawn?"

"Maybe…could you give them the message?" She asked.

"Of course I can, but first I need your help." Willow replied. Joyce nodded.

---

"What the hell are you talking about!" Angelus screamed out loud.

_"Because she looks beyond the demon."_

"What is that supposed to mean, you stupid soul?" Angelus raged as he tried to concentrate harder on the 'voice within' him.

_"It is not just the soul she loves."_

"You know," Angelus replied, "You are really starting to piss me off! You are being just a little too vague for your own good! I have done that part of the voice within bullshit! I'm getting very tired of it!" Angelus stopped pacing as he listened.

_"I am not the only one the Slayer loves."_

"You are so full of it! You always were! With your holier-than-thou attitude! You know what, I'm happy that you are stuck in that bastard! You can stay there and torment him! Leave me alone!" With that final word to himself Angelus stormed out of the bathroom and gave the awaiting men a grin. Angelus left the restaurant and sauntered down the street. He grabbed the first woman he saw and dragged her into the ally. For some reason her blood tasted sweeter than anything did ever before. He was finally free of Angel and his pathetic soul and he was hearing him talk to him. Angelus had finally had enough. The Slayer would have to die to die to make the voice stop.

---

Joyce led Willow to a group of elder souls where she pointed Willow in the direction of Ms. Calendar. Willow gave Joyce a hug and smiled at her.

"I promise you that I will tell Buffy everything you told me." Willow said to the spirit.

"Thank you, Willow. Once you do I can move on." Before Willow could say any more she disappeared and Willow was left with the elder souls. Willow walked towards them and raised her voice loud so that they could hear her.

"I am looking for Jenny Calendar. I need to speak to her as soon as possible. It is a matter of life and death. Please, if you know where she is…" But Willow was cut off by a familiar voice.

"There is no need to get mellow-dramatic on me. I'm right here." Willow turned and saw Jenny standing in front of her. Willow shrieked and hugged the remaining soul.

"Oh Ms. Calendar! We have missed you so very much!" Willow exclaimed.

"I have missed you too Willow. So what do you need me for?"

"It's Angel."

"I know. He lost his soul yet again."

"Yes. Only we can't get it back without your help. It is trapped within a being called the Receiver. The only way to get it out is if we contact a higher being and she or he kills the Receiver. We need a temporary binding spell to capture Angelus in order to keep him from stopping us. He has already killed the Oracles so we need another way of contacting a higher being," Willow said, "We need you to come back." Jenny smiled at Willow and looked upward. She smiled and nodded to the young witch. Before Willow knew what was happening a white light washed over them and she blinked her eyes open. She was back in the small room at the Magic Shop with Giles and Buffy around her and Jenny in front of her. Willow smiled and turned to Giles.

"I did it." She said.

"Yes," Giles replied looking at Jenny, "Yes you did." Looking back, Jenny smiled.

---

Connor, Kathy, and Sean paced the living room of the apartment. Dawn was in her room nailing stakes to the walls surrounding the windows so that Angelus couldn't get back in. They knew that they couldn't un-invite him from the house because they would be getting Angel back so they needed him to be able to get into his own home. They had so far secured all the entrances of the apartment and Dawn's room was the last. Kathy was becoming nervous as she thought of the night that Angelus killed her and her family. It was hard to explain how she felt to people because they had no idea what it was like to have their own brother kill them. Sean had tried to be protective and sweet but it just wasn't working. Connor was even more exasperated than Kathy was. She had no idea what Connor was going through but it couldn't be good. Suddenly there came a knock at the door and Kathy jumped. Dawn emerged from her room with a worried look on her face. Connor headed for the door and looked through the peephole. Sighing, Connor opened the door.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey." Faith replied as she sauntered into the room.

"Any luck?" Connor asked.

"None. It is like he is gone. I have no clue what is going on, normally the bastard is a little more out there. Instead he is playing hide-and-seek." Faith threw her weapon on the table and sat down in a chair. Connor locked the door and sat down next to her.

"We are not doing any better. Just sitting around waiting for him to come and kill us." He stated.

"He won't come back here. He is too smart for that. He knows we'll get him," Faith said to him, "How is our guest?"

"Not saying anything as usual. He is just sitting there. He seems comfortable to me." Connor said.

"Well then, lets make him uncomfortable." Faith stood and headed to the spare room. She opened the door to the darkened room and looked at the Receiver. He sat there with his head lowered as he looked upon the corpse of his Lyphan. The other beast coward in the corner as Faith entered. Faith smirked to herself at the sight of the dog cowering at her presence. Faith moved towards the Receiver and knelt in front of him. She brought up a bloody knife and sliced into his leg. The Receiver hissed as he felt the sudden sting of the blade on his skin.

"You know, we can make this stop. The pain and the suffering. If you would only tell us how we can get our friend back." The Receiver laughed as Faith stood. Un-amused, Faith hit the Receiver sending his head snapping backward.

"What the fuck is so funny?" She demanded. The Receiver looked up at her and spat in her face.

"You. If you think that this hurts me, you are mistaken." The Receiver continued to laugh as Faith wiped the spit from her face. She smiled at the Receiver and sauntered over to his remaining Lyphan. She bent down and grabbed its neck. The beat yelped as she held onto it. The Receiver stopped laughing as he saw the Slayer grabbed his dog's neck.

"I wonder if you will think it is funny when I kill our little doggy here." Faith said with a sneer. The Receiver looked down and cast his eyes to the floor. Faith stood and smiled.

"That's what I thought. Now tell me, how do I get my friend back?"

"You will never hear that from me." The Receiver stated simply. Faith nodded to Connor who held a crossbow in his hands. Connor fired at the Lyphan and hit its leg. The creature bellowed in pain followed by the Receiver's own cries of pain. Faith smiled and left the room. She shut the door behind her and looked to Connor.

"We'll let him think on that for a while. If he doesn't tell us soon, I'm killing that damn dog." Faith left the hall and went to the kitchen to grab a beer. She may be upset and mad, but that didn't mean a cold beer couldn't fix it. She smiled as she looked at the group. It was going to be a long week.

---

Jenny stood among her friends as she walked on her new feet. She had forgotten how good it felt to be solid again. Even though she was enjoying her newfound sense of solidity, she wasted no time with the pleasantries. She looked to Willow and smiled.

"Tell me everything that has happened." She stated simply. Buffy stepped up and began to tell Jenny what had happened.

"Well, The Receiver has been out to get Angel for a while I guess. We moved to New York to get away from LA and Angel's old job. Last week the Receiver used the Initiative to capture Angel and bring him to a church to cast a spell to take his soul. I didn't get to him in time because the Receiver sent me on a goose chase, pretending it was a ransom. Then he took his soul. Made his soul part of his collection. We have the Receiver at the house and we are trying to get him to tell us how we can get Angel back, but he is not being that helpful." Buffy cast her eyes down when she finished and allowed a single tear to fall down her cheek. Jenny stepped forward and put her hand under the Slayers chin. She brought her eyes up to meet her own.

"Buffy, none of this is your fault. It is not your fault now and it wasn't your fault then," Buffy looked up when Jenny said that and Jenny smiled at her, "it was mine and I'm sorry. If I had said something, it never would have happened and we never would have gone through it. For that I apologize. But for now we must concentrate on destroying the Receiver and getting Angel back." Buffy nodded and Jenny moved to Willow.

"You said that Angel killed the Oracles?"

"Yes. That is what Buffy told us. For some reason Buffy can sense Angelus' thoughts and he can sense hers."

"That will come in handy." Jenny replied. Jenny walked to Giles and gave him a hug. Giles hugged her back and kissed her neck.

"I've missed you." He said to her.

"I have missed you too, Rupert." She replied. Jenny turned to the door and opened it. She walked out of the small room and headed to the shopkeeper. She told him a list of ingredients that she would need and he supplied them. Giles paid the man for all his help and for the materials and the small group headed out of the Magic Shop.

"Where are we going?" Willow asked her.

"Back to Buffy's." The group walked to the corner where Jenny hailed a cab. Jenny only hoped that Angelus didn't know what they were up to at this moment. However, around the corner Angelus stood in the shadows. He was taking a risk with being so close to the Slayer. She could sense him and being this close might get him caught. However, by silencing his thoughts he was able to avoid her detection. Angelus smiled to himself and fell back into the shadows.

"So they brought back Jenny. How sweet," He said, "Sorry Jenny. But I'm about to crash your welcome home party."

**-Part 4-**

Faith jumped off her perch on the windowsill when she heard the front door unlock. She grabbed the closest weapon she could find and she held it at the ready. Faith stood still waiting for Angelus to walk through the door when Buffy emerged from the hallway. Faith threw her arms around Buffy and gave her the biggest hug possible. Buffy hugged the Slayer back and smiled. Faith was a good friend and having her here mean the world to Buffy. Buffy let go of Faith and looked her in the eyes.

"Any luck finding him?" She questioned.

"No. Sorry." Faith said suddenly angry with herself for coming back empty handed.

"That's okay. We'll get him." Buffy moved to allow Willow, Giles, and Jenny into the room. Willow set to work setting up magic central in the kitchen while Giles assisted Jenny with the bags of ingredients they bought at the magic shop.

"So B, any luck in finding the Oracles?" Buffy looked down as she turned to see Connor and her family looking at her intently.

"No. Angelus killed them." She replied.

"There will be others." Giles said with a finger pointed in the air. Buffy smiled. Giles was right. There would be more and when there were she would find a way to get Cordelia down here to kill the Receiver.

"So, what's the next step?" Connor asked looking at Jenny.

"The next step is to temporarily give Angelus a soul. It won't be the real deal until we can release the original, but it will keep him from killing and get him off the streets. It won't be Angel, but it will stop him." Jenny said as she pulled some ingredients out of the bag. Connor nodded his head and sat back down on the couch. Connor was more than pissed at what had just happened. He had just gotten his dad back and now he was gone all over again. He'd had his share of Angelus and didn't want to have anymore. Connor wanted nothing more than to get his dad back, but with the use of all this magic, he wasn't sure that was in the cards. Buffy saw the frustration and sadness that was etched on Connor's face. She sat down next to him and took his hands in hers.

"Hey," She said to him as he turned to face her, "They are the best. We are going to get him back. I promise." Connor looked down and released Buffy's hands.

"Something tells me that it's not going to happen. It think we have lost him forever." Connor left the couch and headed to his room. He slammed the door behind him and threw himself on his bed. Connor's anger soon turned to rage as he began to hate the vampire within his father. A tear fell down Connor's cheek as he thought of his father. He really was gone.

---

Angelus stood on the balcony of his apartment as he watched the two witches break out the magic's to bring back his soul. He only slightly overheard what Jenny and Willow were discussing and found out that they couldn't get his soul back. That his soul was embedded in the Receiver and as long as he was alive, Angel's soul could never permanently be returned. What they were doing was giving him a temporary soul to stop him from being evil. Angelus laughed at the thought_. A soul of my very own, how sweet._ Angelus moved from one window to the next. He found that Buffy had left the living room to go to her own room. He watched as she got undressed and put on a large bathrobe. Probably Angel's. He watched as she moved through her room silently touching Angel's belongings as tears filled her eyes. She had been doing that a lot. The crying and the moping. It made Angelus sick. He moved to get a better look as she closed the door to the bathroom. He watched her adjust the temperature of the water as she prepared to have a shower. She stepped into the shower and let the hot water run over her body as she attempted to drown away her pain. Angelus growled low in his throat. The Slayer was a gorgeous piece of ass. He would have to make sure to get some of it before he killed her. Angelus watched as the Slayer stood in the shower and then silently slid to the bathtub floor as she held on to her knees and cried. It was a beautiful thing to witness a human in pain. Especially if he was the cause.

---

Faith could hear Buffy crying in the bathroom but left her. Buffy had been through enough and she certainly didn't need someone telling her everything was going to be okay, because Faith wasn't sure that it would be. Faith moved along the outside edge of the protective circle that was created by Jenny and Willow. They were about to locate Angelus and it was up to Faith to pick him up. Jenny and Willow chanted together as they performed their locator spell. Once they were done, Willow stood and turned to Faith. She whispered in her ear Angelus location and Faith ran out of the apartment. She headed down the hall with her axe in hand. She bolted for the roof access.

---

Angelus continued to watch as the Slayer slowly stood and began to wash her hair. Enjoying the view Angelus decided to stay for a while. On the roof, Faith looked over the edge and saw Angelus perched on the edge of the bathroom window. Disgust fell over the Slayer as she looked down on him. Faith slowly lowered herself down the wall of the building while Giles held onto the rope. She tapped Angelus on the shoulder and smiled. Angelus looked up.

"Hey, baby." She said to him.

---

Patiently Jenny and Willow awaited Giles and Faith's return. Within moments, Faith and Giles returned to the room with Angelus slung over Faith's shoulder. They had pumped him full of enough sedatives that he wasn't going to be awake for a while. Faith dropped the vampire on the ground and bound his hands and feet with a rope. She went to the bathroom and knocked on the door. Buffy opened the bathroom door and looked at her friend.

"We got him." She said simply. Buffy tore out of the bathroom to find Angelus tied to a chair in her living room. Buffy stared at him as he sat there unconscious.

"Let me get dressed." Buffy said. Faith nodded and watched Buffy go into her room. Faith decided not to tell Buffy where she had found Angelus. Better not to tell her he was a peeping Tom. Jenny moved towards Angelus and stared into the face of the monster.

"Willow we better begin before he wakes up." Jenny said. Willow nodded and the two witches stepped back into the circle. Jenny turned to Giles and began to explain what the temporary soul would do. Just as she started to talk, Buffy, Dawn, and Connor all emerged from their rooms.

"The temporary soul will act as a binding spell. All it will do is keep him restrained. He is still going to be Angelus. He is not Angel. We call them temporary souls, because during the time the spell is active, the vampire has no will to hunt, kill, or feed. They essentially have to appetite whatsoever. Angelus will still be present and he will try to escape. It is in his nature," Jenny turned to Buffy and smiled, "We need you, Connor, and Kathy to help form the circle. Since you are the most important and immediate family he has, your souls combined will act as the restraint." Buffy, Connor, and Kathy moved to form a circle around Willow and Jenny. The three took each other's hands and closed their eyes. Jenny and Willow began their spell.

"Not dead, nor not of the living, spirits of the interregnum I call." Their voices sounded together and soon picked up pace. They began to chant together in Romanian as the spell grew stronger and the magic's swirled around them. Slowly Angelus' eyes opened as he listened to the words being chanted by the witches. He attempted to break free from the chair only to find that the restraints were not the only thing holding him there. As Jenny and Willow finished their spell, Angelus' eyes glowed, a cry erupted from his throat and his head fell forward. Jenny and Willow stopped chanting and Buffy, Connor, and Kathy let go of each other's hands. The group moved towards the vampire as he lifted his head. Angelus smirked at them and was about to laugh when a bolt of pain shot up his spine. He cried out in pain and fell backwards taking the chair with him. Buffy moved to help him when Faith held her back.

"It's not Angel." She said to her. Buffy allowed the Slayer to hold her back as she watched her lover in pain. Angelus cried out as his head swam with unnerving emotions and thoughts. When his cries of pain stopped Faith shot him with a tranquilizer and she and Giles picked up the chair. Tears fell down Buffy's face as she closed her eyes. Suddenly and without notice, Buffy fell backwards and cried out. Jenny ran to Buffy's side and caught the Slayer before she hit her head. Buffy passed out before she hit the ground and Jenny held onto her as the Slayer went limp.

"I forgot." Willow said.

"Forgot what?" Jenny asked.

"That Buffy can feel whatever Angel feels. And that includes Angelus." Willow moved to her best friend and knelt beside her. Willow took Buffy's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Come on," Faith said, "Let's get her to her room." The gang picked up the Slayer and placed her on her bed. Connor sat down next to her and took her hand. The group left Connor with Buffy as they silently shut the door. Connor held the Slayers limp hand and allowed his tears to fall. Buffy was the only real family he had left. If she was gone, what more did he have to live for?

"Please Buffy, you have to be okay. Please." Connor rested his head on Buffy's hand and cried softly. What Connor didn't know was that Buffy was very much aware of what was going on. She was even aware of what Angelus had seen and what he was feeling. Buffy lay still as her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. Something had gone wrong with the spell and Buffy knew it. So did Angelus. In the mist of her dreams she walked towards a shadow. The tall dark man turned around to reveal that Angelus was a part of her dreams. Without hesitation, Buffy threw her arms around the vampire's neck and kissed him.

---

Angelus twitched as he sat in his chair. Jenny looked at him and thought about the spell they had just cast. Without warning an image flew threw Jenny's head. She turned to Willow with a look of complete fear on her face.

"I think we did something wrong." She stated simply.

"What do you mean? We did everything according to the spell." Willow replied.

"Yes we did. But as everyone knows magic always has a side effect." Jenny turned back to Angelus and watched as a smile formed on his lips. A sick feeling of failure fell upon Jenny as she heard the vampire moan. Quickly her attention was averted to a chilling laugh coming from the spare room where the Receiver was restrained. Even he knew that the spell was a failure. Lowering her head, Jenny prayed.

"My people forgive me, for I have sinned and made matters worse."

**To be continued…**


	21. Chapter 21

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**  
Episode 1.21: Hidden Desires  
Written by the Main Slayer & Anne  
Original airdate: January 6, 2005  
Alternate episode airdate: May 23, 2007  
Episode rating: MA

**-Part 1-**

Connor sat in front of his father as he watched him slumber. Angelus had been out cold for days now. But he wasn't the only one. Buffy, herself, was out. She had been out as long as Angelus had. So far all attempts at waking them didn't work. Jenny and Willow had spent countless hours on trying to resolve the issue. Buffy had made small noises in her sleep and she had said Angel's name several times. It pained Willow to see her friend the way that she was. Buffy had been through so much and she had lost Angel on more than one occasion and now was another one to add to the list. Willow sat with Buffy as she slept and waited for Jenny to come up with a plan. Willow had tried several times to enter Buffy's mind to contact her in the dream realm, but so far she hadn't had any luck. It was like Buffy and Angelus were on a totally different plane. They were dreaming, yet they were not in a normal dream state. Silently, Willow closed her eyes and silenced her mind. She was going to try one more time to wake them. She focused her attention on Buffy. Cleared her mind of everything and everyone surrounding her and focused entirely on her friend. Looking deeper, Willow attempted to reach Buffy at the dream state. Opening her eyes slowly, Willow found that she stood in a dark room with only a single candle lighting her way. Willow approached the candle and picked it up. Directly in front of her was a large wooden door. Around the door was ivy and the thorns seemed to grow as she drew closer. Willow stopped and the ivy stopped growing. It was like the ivy was keeping her from entering the room behind the door. She slowly looked closer at the carving on the door. She wasn't sure where she had seen the symbol before but it meant something. It was a bird, or a lion with wings. There was a large 'A' situated underneath it. 'A' for Angelus, Willow assumed. This had something to do with Angelus. Buffy and Angelus were having the same dream. Or they were being sucked into a surreal state of mind that had them trapped. Willow moved a step closer and a large booming voice sounded in her head that nearly knocked her off her seat.

"This is none of your concern! Leave now before it is too late for you as well!" Willow's eyes snapped open as she breathed heavily. She let go of Buffy's hand and headed out of the room. Jenny and Giles were sitting at the kitchen table having a cup of tea when she came out. Jenny stood automatically at the look that was etched on Willow's face.

"Willow," She said, "What is it? What did you see?" At that Giles stood along side her.

"Did you contact Buffy?" Willow shook her head.

"No. But I did see something. It is like Angelus and Buffy have been pulled into a different state of mind. They are in the same place interacting with each other we just can't see what is going on. I got a little farther this time. I was in a corridor or a dark room. And there was a candle in the middle. At the one end was a large wooden door with ivy surrounding it. The thorns grew as I approached them so I stopped moving and focused on the design in the center," Willow took a breath, "Giles do you have a book that can tell me what Angel's tattoo looks like?"

"Yes I do." Giles stood and went to his bag on the floor. He took out a Watchers diary and read aloud from it.

"There is only one Watcher, other than myself and Wesley, that have lived to tell of Angelus. He documented his tattoo so that others would know the mark of his Master," Giles flipped threw the pages and landed on the page containing the image of Angel's tattoo, "Here. It is a Celtic Griffin. An ancient symbol found in 17th century Ireland. The 'A' stands for either his own name or Aruilieus. The head of his Order."

"That is what I saw. That mark on the door. What does that mean?" Willow asked.

"It means that Buffy is not the one in control of the dream. Angelus is. He is manipulating her and moving the dream state to what he wants." Jenny was sure that Angelus would get what he wants from Buffy if it were the last thing he did. Suddenly Jenny rushed from where she was standing.

"Jenny," Giles asked, "What is it?"

"We have been going about this all the wrong way!" She yelled to him.

"Come again." Connor replied from his seat in front of Angelus.

"We have been trying to contact Buffy. But from what Willow has said, we can't. So," She said entering the room once more, "We have to contact Angelus. We have to get him to let go of his hold on Buffy. And I know who can help us." Jenny opened the spare room door and grabbed the Receiver.

_Angelus watched her as she tried to escape from her chains. This dream world was actually kind of fun. He had complete control over her. Just like he wanted. He knew that her friends were trying to save her because of Willow attempting to enter the domain. Angelus simply laughed it off. There was no way that they would get in. He had complete control. As he observed the Slayer sag against her restraints he laughed. Then out of the corner of his eye, he saw it. A white light approaching him._

_"Oh, no you don't. I'm enjoying this way to much to have it end!" Angelus screamed at the light. He knew it was Jenny. They had figured out how to save their friend. Angelus ran towards Buffy in hopes that he could do a little more damage before it was all over._

_"You are mine! Do you hear me! Mine! Angel is nothing compared to what I can give you! Nothing! You will come to me when this is all over and you will be mine! Do you hear me!" The light encroached on him faster and faster. It took al his might to yell out in pain once more._

_"Nooooooooooo!"_

Angelus' eyes snapped open as he was torn from his dream. Standing before him was Connor, Jenny and Willow. Angelus' head sagged as he realized that once again, this pathetic group of people had foiled his plans again. Willow left the group and opened the door to Buffy's bedroom. Buffy was sitting up right as tears flowed down her face. Willow ran to her friend. She threw her arms around Buffy and held her.

"Oh my god! Buffy, are you okay?" She asked. Buffy nodded slowly unable to move.

"Angelus?" She asked.

"He is still tied up and awake too." Willow replied. Buffy got up off her bed and grabbed her robe. Buffy walked to the mirror and straightened her hair. Buffy was about to ask Willow if everyone else was okay when they heard struggling coming from the living room. Buffy attempted to run out the bedroom door with a weapon only to find that there were none in sight. She tore out of the bedroom and headed for the closet. Buffy grabbed her axe and headed to the living room. When she arrived she saw the Receiver with Connor's neck in his grasp. Connor was attempting to break free but all the struggling only made it worse.

"Let him go!" Faith yelled.

"Never!" The Receiver yelled back, "He is my ticket out of here. Now all of you are going to let me leave or Connor's soul will be mine so is his fathers." The group backed off as the Receiver headed for the door.

"Connor has nothing to do with this," Buffy said to him, "Please just let him go."

"No. I may be an Immortal and you may not have the ability to kill me, but you will. You know how to kill me you just need the means. Connor is my currency. He is how I am going to get out of town." The Receiver motioned to open the door when a shrill growl sounded through the house. The Lyphan was standing at the door to the spare room where Willow was standing. Buffy motioned for Willow to come near her as the Lyphan prepared to jump.

"He can't get out Buffy," Willow said slowly moving towards her friend, "There is a spell that keeps him bound to it. He isn't going anywhere."

"Oh yes he is," The Receiver replied, "On second thought Slayer, I will give Connor back to you as soon as you release my dog." Buffy slowly nodded to Willow when Angelus spoke his first words since waking up.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Shut up!" Buffy yelled back. Willow shut her eyes and chanted a few sayings and the barrier came down. The Lyphan slowly exited the spare room and stood by its master.

"Very good Buffy." The Receiver replied. Without warning he drew a sword and jammed it into Connor's side.

"No!" Buffy yelled as Connor slumped to the ground. The Receiver raced out the door and was down the hall before anyone could blink.

"Faith!" Willow screamed, "After him!" Faith nodded and took the axe from Buffy. She tore down the hallway with Giles and Sean in tow. Jenny and Willow knelt beside Buffy as she held Connor. She looked up at Angelus and saw the smug smile on his face.

"I told you not to let him out." He said simply. Buffy stood and struck Angel across the face.

"And I told you to shut up!" Buffy yelled back. She turned to Jenny and Willow.

"Buffy, he needs a doctor, now." Willow said to her.

"Okay. Dawn! Kathy!" the two girls emerged from their rooms and looked at Buffy. Buffy threw Dawn the keys to the car and gave her direct orders. "You two take Connor back to the hospital and call me the minute that he is okay." Dawn nodded and she and Kathy hoisted Connor up off the ground and headed for the elevator. "Willow, you and Jenny find a way to contact Cordelia and kill that son of a bitch Receiver. I think that will be the only way that we can save Angel and the world at the moment." Willow nodded and moved to get her and Jenny's things.

"Are you going to be okay?" Jenny asked nodding towards Angelus.

"I'll be fine." She replied simply. Jenny nodded and left the apartment with Willow in tow.

"Alone at last." Angelus quipped as Buffy stared at him. _Alone at last._ Buffy thought back.

**WARNING**: Adult content to follow

**-Part 2-**

Standing only a mere couple of feet away from him, Buffy was overcome with bundles of thoughts and emotions. Angelus immediately sensed and took notice of this.

"If you'd just untie me," Angelus said persuasively, "We could have a lot more fun."

"Or maybe I could have a lot more fun," Buffy said flirtingly, "If I just kept you tied up." She sauntered over to him and slowly began unbuttoning each button on his black shirt.

"Didn't know you were into bondage, lover," Angelus watched her very closely.

"You'd be surprised to see what I like nowadays," Buffy said, capturing his lips in a rough but deep kiss.

--

Willow stood, pacing in the waiting room with Jenny just staring at the floor, "Willow, calm down. Buffy wouldn't want to see you like this."

"It's not that," Willow said, "Buffy's alone with Angelus right now."

"He's tied up, Willow, he can't do anything," Jenny reminded her.

"It's not what he could do to her," Willow explained to her, "It's what she could do to him."

"What do you mean by that?" Jenny asked her.

"Something doesn't feel right," Willow said, putting her hand on her stomach, "There's something…different between Buffy and Angel."

"Like…"

--

**REWRITE** written by The Main Slayer

Buffy's head was spinning. She was so unsure about what she was doing. She felt like she was out of her body. She could see everything that was happening as she made love to Angelus. Her number one enemy, the man she hated more than anything in the world. There she was, sleeping with him. _What am I doing?_ Buffy watched helplessly as they moved together; as they cried together; as she allowed herself to feel with that man. Angelus smiled as he kissed Buffy's neck. Buffy knew that this was more entertaining for Angelus than it was for herself. Buffy tried to force herself to wake up from this nightmare she was watching. _Nothing but heartbreak and damage lies down this path! What are you doing!_ Buffy screamed inside her head. Pushing her thoughts and warnings from her mind, Buffy released her body and allowed herself to feel this. To be with Angel, even if he was just an animal.

"I…I…" Buffy started. Angelus looked into her blue eyes and smiled.

"What, lover? What are you trying to say to me?" Angelus kissed her neck and waited.

"I…I love you." She said as she held his head in her hands. Growling, Angelus gripped her hair. Buffy cried out in pain.

"You, love _him._ Not me. So shut up, and finish what you started." Gripping her hair tighter Angelus pulled her head down and took hold of her mouth. Buffy allowed tears to fall down her face. She had started something there was no way for her to go back on now. Crying Buffy closed her eyes and prayed. _Angel forgive me._

--

"She wouldn't actually…do it," a bedded Connor asked Willow, "…with him…she'd be nuts!"

"She may not be able to help it…she may be under a spell…" Willow explained to him.

"Willow…" Jenny choked out, "I don't think it's a spell…the effects have released their deepest desires…"

"What?!" Connor and Willow both yelled at the same time.

"Buffy hates Angelus…she wouldn't actually want to be with him…" the thought made Willow cringe in disgust.

"Well, why isn't somebody going to check on them?" Connor asked.

"We need to stay here with you, Connor, just for precaution," Jenny said nervously. She did not want to go back to the apartment and find Buffy and Angel doing…doing God knows what.

--

**REWRITE** written by The Main Slayer

Buffy stood. And walked towards the bathroom. Slowly she shut the door, putting her back to the door she slid down crumpling on the floor. Tears fell down her face as she tried relentlessly to calm her breathing. She could hear Angelus laughing in the other room.

"Come on lover, we are not done yet." Buffy picked herself up off the floor and looked in the mirror. Her face was flushed, sweat poured down her face, and her makeup smeared. She turned herself towards the shower and turned on the water. Stepping into the steaming water she allowed the heat to cleanse her body. Her tears continued to fall down her face as she tried to erase what she had done. When her body couldn't take the heat any longer she turned the water off. Standing still, Buffy knew that Angelus had broken his bonds. She slowly opened the shower curtain to find him standing in the bathroom waiting for her. Angelus took hold of her hand and spun her around.

"I said, we are not done yet." Buffy cried out as he pushed against her. Angelus moved his head to whisper into her ear. Buffy tilted her head to listen:

"This has been really fun. However, I have places to go and people to kill. I don't need you in my way. So lover, without any more beating around the bush…I hope everything turns out for you."

"Angel, I love you."

"Awww, love ya too. I'll call ya." Angelus allowed Buffy to fall to the ground. Turning on the cold water, he left the Slayer there. Crumpled on the shower floor with cold water spraying on her heated body. Laughing, Angelus left.

--

After a long talk, Willow had finally agreed to go back to the apartment. She prayed to whatever power that was listening that Buffy and Angelus weren't inside doing…who knows what. She put her ear up to the door and heard sobbing sounds. Quickly opening the door, she heard the shower running.

"Buffy?" Willow called her name, "Buffy?" Willow walked into the bedroom and noticed that Angelus was gone. Rushing into the bathroom, Willow saw Buffy balled into the corner of the shower. Willow looked onto her friend as she saw her body turning blue from the cold water. Willow turned off the water and took Buffy's hands. Rubbing them, attempting warm her friend. Willow pulled her friend to her feet and moved her towards the bedroom where she wrapped a warm towel around her cold body.

"Buffy, what happened? Where's Angelus?"

"What did I do wrong?" Buffy wailed, "I mean, he just…he just stopped and left…was I that bad?"

"Angelus is gone?" Willow squeaked, "Where did he go?"

"He just left…just said it was great and that he'd call me…" Buffy wept.

Willow whipped out her cell phone and called the hospital, asking for Jennifer Calendar. Jenny immediately came on the phone and asked what was up.

"Angelus is gone," Willow quickly said, "He left Buffy here crying, but he's gone…he somehow got out of the spell…"

"He what?!" Jenny yelled.

"You need to come back here quick…get Faith…She, Sean, and Giles are still probably trying to track down the Receiver…tell Dawn and Kathy to stay at the hospital…you need to contact Cordelia…find a way…I don't care if the powers will kill us for it…"

"Angelus," Buffy closed her eyes and spoke her thoughts aloud, "Come back for me."

And a voice whispered in her head, "I will my love, just give me time."


	22. Chapter 22

**Immortal: the Virtual Series**  
Episode 1.22: Missing  
Written by the Main Slayer  
Original airdate: January 8, 2005  
Episode rating: K+**  
****_Season One Season finale_**

**-Part 1-**

_I'm so tired of being here__  
__Suppressed by all of my childish fears_

Buffy walked along the busy streets of New York. Night had fallen several hours earlier and all she wanted to do was walk so far away from the world that she would never be able to find her way home. The events that had transpired the night before were more than enough for her to run and flee the country. Buffy could remember the morning after as it played as a re-run in her mind. It was like she was caught in some god-forsaken nightmare that she couldn't make stop. Tears welled in Buffy's eyes and she closed her eyes and sat on a park bench.

Buffy shook as she sat on the bench. She wrapped her sweater around herself as she wiped the tears from her face. Buffy wasn't sure why she was so easily controlled by Angelus, but she knew she had to get over it before the gang reconvened at her place in an hour. But as she sat on the bench and watched the couple's walk by all she could think about was Angelus. She hated herself for feeling that way. She knew that it had something to do with Spike. He had started all of the dominating activities in her sex life; it was his fault that she was so easily manipulated by men. She wanted it to stop, but even though she wanted it over, she didn't want it to stop. Buffy slowly looked up from her seat and saw a shadow hanging on a large Willow tree. Buffy ran towards the tree hoping that she might find what she was looking for. She got to the tree and looked around. There was nothing: no one in sight. Sighing to herself and felt the cool night breeze on her body. She leaned against the tree and thought of Angel. She would give anything to have him back and get rid of the monster that was taking his place. Her thoughts were disoriented and she found that her thoughts of Angel were being replaced with thoughts of Angelus.

"Angel, please," Buffy said to herself, "I need you back. Come back to me."

_And if you have to leave  
I wish that you would just leave  
Because your presence still lingers here  
And it won't leave me along_

Faith walked along the dark allies of New York City hoping that she might run into the monster that was destroying her friend's lives. Faith knew that Angelus was gone. He was not in town anymore and there was no way they were going to get him back. The Receiver was another being that had disappeared off the face of the planet. For some reason, Faith could hone her Slayer skills tonight. She was more worried about Buffy and the state of mind they found her in. She wasn't sure what had happened between Angelus and her, but she knew that whatever it was Buffy was never going to be the same. None of them would. Giving up, Faith turned around and headed for the hospital to see Connor. For some reason she was getting rather fond of that kid. He was so much younger than she was, but he was so cute. Faith smiled as she got lightheaded from thinking about Connor. She shook it off telling herself that she was completely crazy. Deciding not to make matters worse for her feelings, she turned around again and headed back to the apartment where Willow and Jenny were trying to find The Receiver and Angelus. Connor would be home soon and she would see him then. No need to make it into something personal.

Jenny was running out of time. She only had a few hours left to find The Receiver and Angelus in order to make things normal again. But her investigation with Willow and Giles was getting nowhere. She knew that Angelus was no longer in the city limits and that The Receiver was attempting to leave town. The locator spell she had on the Receiver would prevent him from getting very far, but they still had no idea where he was. Willow had been searching for them for hours and her eyes hurt. She wanted nothing more than to go off and find Buffy to comfort her. Buffy was in so much pain at the moment and she wasn't sure what had caused it. Buffy had walled herself up and wasn't talking to anyone. Getting frustrated Willow threw her arms up in the air and sighed.

"Giles this is getting pointless." She said out loud. Giles turned to Willow and smiled.

"I know exactly what you mean. I am tired as well. But we must find them. It is important. We can't have to super evils running through town." Jenny looked up at him when she heard the word 'super evils' and snickered. Giles turned to her and gave her a look.

"You never were good with making the right words fit were you?" She asked him.

"Well you are not helping me." Giles replied smiling. Giles had forgotten how much he missed her. He had moved on with Olivia in England but Jenny would always remain in his heart. Jenny stood and looked at the time.

"My time on this plane is almost over. We have to find them." She said to the group as she paced the room. As the group opened more books, the front door opened and Dawn, Kathy, Sean and Connor entered the room. Connor had looked better. Willow stood and headed over to him. He waved her off and moved through the doorway himself.

"Just like your father." Willow commented.

"What?" Connor asked.

"Never asking for help even though you need it." Connor smiled at her and held out his hand. Willow took it and led him to the couch where he sat down. Pain shot through his body as he slowly sat, and Willow's heart fell to the floor for him. That was the second time Connor had been in the hospital because of the Receiver. Willow knew that they had to find him before it was too late.

"Any luck locating my brother?" Kathy asked.

"No, I'm sorry." Jenny replied.

"We're working on it though." Willow put in.

"Yes." Giles replied back.

"Who cares now." Connor said to them.

"What do you mean?" Willow asked him as she sat next to him.

"My dad is gone. There is no way we can get him back again. The Receiver has his soul. The only way to get the soul back is to kill him and we can't kill an Immortal." He said with a sigh. He had just gotten his dad back and now he was gone again. This was the worst day ever. Not to mention he had missed more than enough classes to fail his first year. Connor had thought coming to New York would have been easy street to know opportunity, and all he got was the same old crap that he wanted out of. Willow gave Connor a hug and smiled.

"We will get your dad back. We have to. Angel is needed here. Buffy needs him, you need him, and we all need him. There has to be a way to kill an Immortal. And then we will destroy the Receiver and get Angel back. I will put his soul back myself. I promise you." Connor smiled and hugged her back. Willow turned to Jenny who was obviously concerned with the fact that there was only 2 more hours till midnight and then she would be gone.

"There is a way." She said silently.

"What?" Giles asked as he walked to her.

"There is only one way to kill an Immortal." She said again.

"What is it?" Willow asked. Hope now spread across all of their faces, as the prospect of getting Angel back was that much closer.

"We must contact a higher being and ask them to destroy the Immortal." She said to them.

"Well that is great!" Willow exclaimed, then she saw the look of despair on Jenny's face, "What is it?"

"There is a catch. Higher beings don't like to do it. They have to have an extremely good reason to destroy an Immortal especially if it is a Receiver. If they kill one Receiver it shifts the balance of power. They have to have a counter. To kill one evil being they must create another in order to keep the balance of good and evil." Jenny said.

"So, the higher being creates a new evil…so what. It's not like we can't kill it later." Willow said.

"It is not that simple. A Receiver keeps the balance of good souls. There can only be a certain amount of heroes in the world. When one Receiver is killed all those souls are released. They are free to either find the body they were taken from…if it still exists…or they move on to the spirit realm. Too many heroes out weighs evil. They must create a being that is equal to the Receiver or more powerful," Jenny looked to Giles and then the rest of the gang, "They must create another that could have the power to destroy the balance forever. Not many higher beings would do such a thing. It is going to be hard to find one that would be willing to do such a spell." Connor looked down for a moment and then looked to Willow.

"I know one." He said. Willow smiled at him.

**-Part 2-**

Faith stepped off the elevator to the penthouse floor when she saw the group heading towards her. Faith moved out of the elevator and looked at Willow.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"We'll fill you in on the way." She replied and headed inside the elevator. Faith shrugged and turned around. She needed a shower, but that was going to have to wait.

_These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time cannot erase_

Buffy sat quietly underneath the large Willow tree and began to cry. What was she going to do now? She felt sick inside and sick outside. Her body was so tired of the fight between the Slayer and the human. She wanted it to end. She wanted to be normal. She knew that she would never see Angelus again. There was something in her that told her she was never going to have to deal with that monster again, but even though she knew that, she wanted nothing more than to see him again.

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I've held your hand through all of these years  
But your still have all of me_

She wanted to know what went wrong. Why he had left the way he did? Did she do something wrong? Was she terrible? Why had he left her like that…exposed to everyone to see? Buffy still hadn't told her friends what had happened and she was going to. They didn't need to know that their friend was a whore. That, again, she had slept with a monster

_You used to captivate me  
By your resonating light  
But now I'm bound by the life you left behind  
Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams  
Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me_

Buffy's head sank between her knees as she began to cry. A shadow soon appeared and smiled at her. For a moment, Buffy thought it was Angelus. She looked up quickly and saw that it was a demon she hadn't seen in over 6 years.

Willow led the group down a small corridor with a torch in hand. She had originally objected to Connor coming, but he was determined. Willow smiled to himself and thought again, how much Connor reminded him of Angel. Jenny looked at her watch and took the lead. She only had a half an hour before she had to go back and the ritual itself would take that time. The entered a small cavern where there was a large marble dish in the middle. Torches lined the cavern's walls as the group entered. Jenny set to work immediately.

"I want all of you to take a place in front of one of those torches." Willow, Giles, Faith, Connor, Dawn, Kathy, and even Sean took a place in front of one of the torches. Connor leaned against the wall as Willow took his hand. She squeezed it and smiled. Connor smiled back. Jenny stood in the center of the ring and raised her arms to the roof.

"We call on you…the ones who control the universe." Jenny closed her eyes and chanted in her head. The group around her closed there eyes and thought of the one person who could save them all…Cordelia.

**-Part 3-**

"What are you doing here?" Buffy asked him.

"Helping you, kid." He replied.

"Well, I don't need your help." She spat at him as she turned away.

"I think you do."

"And what do you know about it!" Buffy yelled at him. Buffy stood up and grabbed hold of the man and threw him against the tree.

"I know everything. I told you before. Angel is my bud. I watch him at all times just to make sure he is not getting in trouble. And he was doing pretty good until he turned into jerk again." Buffy released him and turned her back to him.

"It wasn't my fault. Not this time." Buffy said to him.

_These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time cannot erase_

"It wasn't your fault the first time, kid. Don't you see that? Angel's life was set the minute he was turned into a vampire. All the things that have happened to him were already pre-destined. You can't change that. You were just a pawn. We all are. Vampires have no choices. They are controlled. So all that guilt you have about him losing his soul because of you…forget it, because you have bigger problems now." Buffy turned to face him and gave him a stern look.

"The first time I met you I kicked your ass because I didn't like what you had to say. Hey, guess what, I don't like it now!" Buffy stood in front of the demon and stared at him, "Whistler, if you have nothing good to tell me I suggest you leave me alone." Whistler hated her. She was so stubborn and she never listened to him.

"Look, kid. You have no choice. You have to listen to me because what I am about to tell you will change your life and Angel's forever." Buffy's eyes widened as she listened to what Whistler was saying. He was right…their lives were about to change.

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I've held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have all of me_

Jenny finished the spell and turned to her friends.

"Well, that is it. My time is done." Giles moved towards her and put a hand to her cheek.

"Do you really have to go?" He asked her.

"I do. That was the deal. I have done everything I can to help you get the Receiver and Angel back. Now it is up to you. You must convince her to help you. You must get her to kill the Receiver no matter what the cost. It is the only way you will ever get Angel back." Jenny replied as she hugged Giles.

"Oh she will." Connor said to her.

"I hope you are right," Jenny turned to Willow and smiled, "Thank you for letting me help. It has been fun." Jenny's figured soon began to become transparent. She really was about to leave. Willow's eyes filled with tears as her mentor disappeared before her eyes. Willow smiled and turned to Giles.

"Jenny said that it wouldn't take long before she came. We need to be ready." Suddenly a clock sounded. Willow looked towards the entrance of the cavern. A bright light appeared in the doorway and a figure began to take shape. Connor smiled as he watched one of his dear friends appear before him. She smiled.

"Okay, what is that you need now? Can't you all take care of yourselves for once without calling me?" Willow laughed. That was their Cordy.

_I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone__  
__And though you're still with me__  
__I've been alone all along…_


End file.
